4 ms·

> If you are an Instagram user and you would like to see which ad categories the platform has assigned to you, go to the settings menu in the app, then follow t

by deogeo 7y ago

> If you are an Instagram user and you would like to see which ad categories the platform has assigned to you, go to the settings menu in the app, then follow this path: Security / Access Data / Ads / Ads Interest. If the BBC wanted to be helpful, they could teach how to install uBlock Origin, instead of how to help corporate when their spying fails.

na85 7y ago
Does ublock origin work with native phone apps?
- MastrChefRocks 7y ago
  No
Aromasin 7y ago
To be fair, as much as it doesn't help things, it is entertaining to see what Instagram thinks I like and is a feature I didn't know existed. I recently un-followed everyone besides the people I know IRL (so no more celebs, memes and instachicks) and, combined with the obfuscation software I use now, the ads suggestions are all over the place. For a male, 20-something year old nerdy engineer I apparently have a real love of all things 'comsmetics, hair products, spas, dresses, beauty, and tattoos'!
- saltedshiv 7y ago
  You use obfuscation software for instagram? Im intrigued
- londons_explore 7y ago
  People need to realise that these categories are not what web services use to target. Instead, they are an approximation of the underlying data, which is really used for targeting. Have an a analogy: I have a photo of a crime suspect. I would describe it as "man with beard in yellow jacket". When looking for the matching person, I could look for all other men with beards, or I could go back to the original photograph and try to find a matching face. What's likely to give the most accurate result? Clearly the face matching. They show you the text though, but underneath they use the face for the actual targeting.
rchaud 7y ago
A browser extension won't have any effect on Instagram because the vast majority of users are on the mobile app. Besides, there's no reason for the BBC to start providing technical advice. Are they supposed to provide instructions on how to install it on Chrome, Firefox, and Safari? And also explain why it doesn't exist on IE, and why it exists on desktop Chrome/Safari but not mobile Chrome/Safari? How about also explaining that things like Twitter embeds (which news sites are full of) won't appear with UO's default settings, effectively breaking the site's functionality? What happens if the extension breaks down the line (might happen with future Chrome updates)? Is the editorial team supposed to have a reminder to go back to the article and update it?
- deogeo 7y ago
  I assumed my intent would be clear, but if you insist on nitpicking: The BBC could mention it's possible to block ads on the browser version of Instagram, with various browser extensions. Why you think this means they'd have to explain every possible technical detail of ad blocking, I have no idea.
  - rchaud 7y ago
    Because it's the BBC, they have certain editorial responsibilities. It's one thing if they started a content series around digital rights, where adblocking extensions could be discussed. But this is a standard issue news story, so it's not appropriate to editorialize. Look on the linked page for links to external sites. Beyond the Twitter embeds and cancerous Taboola/Outbrain advert links, there are none. For regular news stories, the BBC will rarely link out to non-BBC URLs unless it's to link the original investigation run by a different organization.
    - deogeo 7y ago
      How is mentioning the existence of ad-blockers, on a story about ads, editorializing? Meanwhile teaching you how to be a good consumer and set your ad preferences is 'neutral'?

by deogeo 7y ago

na85 7y ago

Does ublock origin work with native phone apps?

MastrChefRocks 7y ago
No

Aromasin 7y ago

To be fair, as much as it doesn't help things, it is entertaining to see what Instagram thinks I like and is a feature I didn't know existed. I recently un-followed everyone besides the people I know IRL (so no more celebs, memes and instachicks) and, combined with the obfuscation software I use now, the ads suggestions are all over the place. For a male, 20-something year old nerdy engineer I apparently have a real love of all things 'comsmetics, hair products, spas, dresses, beauty, and tattoos'!

saltedshiv 7y ago
You use obfuscation software for instagram? Im intrigued
londons_explore 7y ago
People need to realise that these categories are not what web services use to target. Instead, they are an approximation of the underlying data, which is really used for targeting. Have an a analogy: I have a photo of a crime suspect. I would describe it as "man with beard in yellow jacket". When looking for the matching person, I could look for all other men with beards, or I could go back to the original photograph and try to find a matching face. What's likely to give the most accurate result? Clearly the face matching. They show you the text though, but underneath they use the face for the actual targeting.

rchaud 7y ago

A browser extension won't have any effect on Instagram because the vast majority of users are on the mobile app. Besides, there's no reason for the BBC to start providing technical advice. Are they supposed to provide instructions on how to install it on Chrome, Firefox, and Safari? And also explain why it doesn't exist on IE, and why it exists on desktop Chrome/Safari but not mobile Chrome/Safari? How about also explaining that things like Twitter embeds (which news sites are full of) won't appear with UO's default settings, effectively breaking the site's functionality? What happens if the extension breaks down the line (might happen with future Chrome updates)? Is the editorial team supposed to have a reminder to go back to the article and update it?

deogeo 7y ago
I assumed my intent would be clear, but if you insist on nitpicking: The BBC could mention it's possible to block ads on the browser version of Instagram, with various browser extensions. Why you think this means they'd have to explain every possible technical detail of ad blocking, I have no idea.
- rchaud 7y ago
  Because it's the BBC, they have certain editorial responsibilities. It's one thing if they started a content series around digital rights, where adblocking extensions could be discussed. But this is a standard issue news story, so it's not appropriate to editorialize. Look on the linked page for links to external sites. Beyond the Twitter embeds and cancerous Taboola/Outbrain advert links, there are none. For regular news stories, the BBC will rarely link out to non-BBC URLs unless it's to link the original investigation run by a different organization.
  - deogeo 7y ago
    How is mentioning the existence of ad-blockers, on a story about ads, editorializing? Meanwhile teaching you how to be a good consumer and set your ad preferences is 'neutral'?