Well, ad-tracking is a little different than "targeting," but a lot of data collection exists theoretically so that ads can be targeted more effectively, which

Well, ad-tracking is a little different than "targeting," but a lot of data collection exists theoretically so that ads can be targeted more effectively, which then theoretically supports free services. But, there's little evidence that targeted ads are more effective than normal ads based on rough guesses (e.g., The Verge is largely read by tech-savvy young and middle-aged men and you don't need tracking to figure that out). Their marginal increase in effectiveness is probably outweighed by the cost of administering them, not to mention to social cost of privacy erosion. The sooner the tech industry stops pretending that ad targeting is anything other than a scam to trick advertisers, the better.