3 ms·

If you act on the internet like you would in real life, it doesn't seem like such a big deal. How is getting relevant ads a bad thing?

law 15y ago
Because in real life, there are plenty of laws that prevent invasions into privacy. Also, the people capable of doing the same in real life don't have the tools to create truly personal advertisements. For example, a supermarket chain might use an aggregate of purchase histories (i.e., products most often purchased together) to influence product placement in the store. They won't re-position products for each customer as they walk in the door, though... Online, this can, and does, happen. It might not seem like a big deal when it's useful. However, there will be many instances of people trying, and failing, at creating a useful product. I think that's a valid point of distinction: when people fail at adopting new technologies right now, the results are mostly harmless. If they fail with machine learning, there could be some major privacy concerns.
droz 15y ago
Couple years back, I spent a few weeks looking through different jewelry sites for a necklace for my girlfriend. During this time, I let my girlfriend borrow my laptop one night. Each site that she visited was riddled with ads for engagement rings. Next thing I know, she's giving me the twenty questions about why I'm looking at engagement rings. Some things need to be kept private even if they are benign.
- the_cat_kittles 15y ago
  oh shit. You make a good point sir.
- codedivine 15y ago
  So, did you get engaged :)?
- tincholio 15y ago
  That's why the FSM gave us private browsing modes
  - Groxx 15y ago
    And lo, the FSM didst claim it wasn't just for teh pronz. And the people did laugh. And wink. And nudge each other. Until it was too late. Until your spam filter thought it wasn't spam. And on that day, the privacy geeks didth retort: "told ya so."
- itrackmine 15y ago
  Yea, that's going to continue to be the case until someone (cough us, cough) figures out that what you look at or buy on one occasion might not actually be something you're interested in. Specifically speaking of //items//, this is really a huge issue that is so huge that it's almost become laughable in the sense that nearly all the recommendations via "machine learning" (Collaborative Filtering, Trust Systems, etc) nowadays end up being so tainted that they are worthless - to you, and to the companies spitting them out. I call it "Recommendation Blindness" (copyright 2008...20% on usage...etc...etc..sue you..etc.....I'm just kidding of course).

law 15y ago

Because in real life, there are plenty of laws that prevent invasions into privacy. Also, the people capable of doing the same in real life don't have the tools to create truly personal advertisements. For example, a supermarket chain might use an aggregate of purchase histories (i.e., products most often purchased together) to influence product placement in the store. They won't re-position products for each customer as they walk in the door, though... Online, this can, and does, happen. It might not seem like a big deal when it's useful. However, there will be many instances of people trying, and failing, at creating a useful product. I think that's a valid point of distinction: when people fail at adopting new technologies right now, the results are mostly harmless. If they fail with machine learning, there could be some major privacy concerns.

droz 15y ago

Couple years back, I spent a few weeks looking through different jewelry sites for a necklace for my girlfriend. During this time, I let my girlfriend borrow my laptop one night. Each site that she visited was riddled with ads for engagement rings. Next thing I know, she's giving me the twenty questions about why I'm looking at engagement rings. Some things need to be kept private even if they are benign.

the_cat_kittles 15y ago
oh shit. You make a good point sir.
codedivine 15y ago
So, did you get engaged :)?
tincholio 15y ago
That's why the FSM gave us private browsing modes
- Groxx 15y ago
  And lo, the FSM didst claim it wasn't just for teh pronz. And the people did laugh. And wink. And nudge each other. Until it was too late. Until your spam filter thought it wasn't spam. And on that day, the privacy geeks didth retort: "told ya so."
itrackmine 15y ago
Yea, that's going to continue to be the case until someone (cough us, cough) figures out that what you look at or buy on one occasion might not actually be something you're interested in. Specifically speaking of //items//, this is really a huge issue that is so huge that it's almost become laughable in the sense that nearly all the recommendations via "machine learning" (Collaborative Filtering, Trust Systems, etc) nowadays end up being so tainted that they are worthless - to you, and to the companies spitting them out. I call it "Recommendation Blindness" (copyright 2008...20% on usage...etc...etc..sue you..etc.....I'm just kidding of course).