3 ms·

What for? What is your threat model? Getting ads for things you are actually interested in?

lvna 7y ago
Historically people have not liked other people building and curating dossiers about them.
ska 7y ago
I haven't really resolved my own thinking about all of this, but I think that take is overly simplistic. How about beginning to target dating sites to your partner because they've figured out you are having affair before the partner has? Or divorce attorneys? Or notifying your work recent changes in pattern make you look like a high flight risk? Or your insurance company that you may have an unreported condition? Same basic data sources can feed into that analysis. Those are just obvious ones, and I'm not claiming they are specifically currently being done ... but the basic technology isn't a barrier. This is why it is a bit disingenuous to echo the common refrain "what's so bad about better targeted ads" as if that adequately describes what is at stake.
- username444 7y ago
  This. And it's not just how it's used today. It's how it can be archived and analyzed 10 years down the road with all the additional information gleaned from you in that time.
username444 7y ago
https://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2012/02/16/how-target-figured-out-a-teen-girl-was-pregnant-before-her-father-did/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2012/02/16/how-targ... And that's using 7 year old tech. If one day I develop diabetes and start researching insulin and products, I don't need a company automatically sending me flyers for blood strips. https://techcrunch.com/2017/03/31/the-post-office-will-now-email-you-photos-of-your-mail-before-its-delivered/ https://techcrunch.com/2017/03/31/the-post-office-will-now-e... Oh look, now we historical catalog of all the customized mail that was sent to you, by companies who know what you're looking for. And we all know how reliable and secure government and corporate databases are. /s

lvna 7y ago

Historically people have not liked other people building and curating dossiers about them.

ska 7y ago

I haven't really resolved my own thinking about all of this, but I think that take is overly simplistic. How about beginning to target dating sites to your partner because they've figured out you are having affair before the partner has? Or divorce attorneys? Or notifying your work recent changes in pattern make you look like a high flight risk? Or your insurance company that you may have an unreported condition? Same basic data sources can feed into that analysis. Those are just obvious ones, and I'm not claiming they are specifically currently being done ... but the basic technology isn't a barrier. This is why it is a bit disingenuous to echo the common refrain "what's so bad about better targeted ads" as if that adequately describes what is at stake.

username444 7y ago
This. And it's not just how it's used today. It's how it can be archived and analyzed 10 years down the road with all the additional information gleaned from you in that time.

username444 7y ago

https://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2012/02/16/how-target-figured-out-a-teen-girl-was-pregnant-before-her-father-did/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2012/02/16/how-targ... And that's using 7 year old tech. If one day I develop diabetes and start researching insulin and products, I don't need a company automatically sending me flyers for blood strips. https://techcrunch.com/2017/03/31/the-post-office-will-now-email-you-photos-of-your-mail-before-its-delivered/ https://techcrunch.com/2017/03/31/the-post-office-will-now-e... Oh look, now we historical catalog of all the customized mail that was sent to you, by companies who know what you're looking for. And we all know how reliable and secure government and corporate databases are. /s