3 ms·

Hogwash! it is not legally permitted to target advertising using real identities, ads are targeted at demographics, and a name has no value to ad targeting anyw

by yanw 15y ago

Hogwash! it is not legally permitted to target advertising using real identities, ads are targeted at demographics, and a name has no value to ad targeting anyway, interests are what used for targeting ads not names. There are many legitimate reasons to insist on real names within a social application, adding trustworthiness to sharing and trusting that you are communicating with the right person being among them. Also it's in beta testing and a pseudonym option will be introduced: https://plus.google.com/111091089527727420853/posts/Fddn6rV8mBX https://plus.google.com/111091089527727420853/posts/Fddn6rV8... Edit: clarifying that ads aren't allowed to be targeted using real identity.

earl 15y ago
It's certainly legally permissible to target ads at individuals -- see, eg, retargeting.
- yanw 15y ago
  Which has nothing to do with real names or identities.
anonymous246 15y ago
Hmm, so Gmail showing you ads based on the email you're currently reading is unlawful? I think you have a weird (i.e., excessively narrow) definition of "target advertising to inviduals".
- deleted 15y ago
  [deleted]
- m0shen 15y ago
  They are targeting you, yes. But "you" is loosely defined as someone who reads email newsletters about cat toys, not necessarily "John Smith, cat toy enthusiast".
beagle3 15y ago
> it is not legally permitted to target advertising using real identities, [citation required]. As stated, this can't be right because my physical mailbox is chock full of real identity advertising - mostly related to credit cards but not only.
davewiner 15y ago
What about Groupon?
alanlewis 15y ago
Real names are valuable in so far as they can be used to build gender (and possibly ethnicity?) models. I doubt this is the primary reason Google is insisting on real names, however. More like: Myspace allowed fake names and it failed. Facebook enforces real names and it has succeeded.
rjd 15y ago
"clarifying that ads aren't allowed to be targeted using real identity." Sooo... when I see ads using my name on Facebook its illegal? I think if your statement is true there will in an opt-out clause when joining and they are just by-passing that law. Also that Robert Scoble article is a joke, it seems more like emergency PR work than real content to me.

by yanw 15y ago

earl 15y ago

It's certainly legally permissible to target ads at individuals -- see, eg, retargeting.

yanw 15y ago
Which has nothing to do with real names or identities.

anonymous246 15y ago

Hmm, so Gmail showing you ads based on the email you're currently reading is unlawful? I think you have a weird (i.e., excessively narrow) definition of "target advertising to inviduals".

deleted 15y ago
[deleted]
m0shen 15y ago
They are targeting you, yes. But "you" is loosely defined as someone who reads email newsletters about cat toys, not necessarily "John Smith, cat toy enthusiast".

beagle3 15y ago

> it is not legally permitted to target advertising using real identities, [citation required]. As stated, this can't be right because my physical mailbox is chock full of real identity advertising - mostly related to credit cards but not only.

davewiner 15y ago

What about Groupon?

alanlewis 15y ago

Real names are valuable in so far as they can be used to build gender (and possibly ethnicity?) models. I doubt this is the primary reason Google is insisting on real names, however. More like: Myspace allowed fake names and it failed. Facebook enforces real names and it has succeeded.

rjd 15y ago

"clarifying that ads aren't allowed to be targeted using real identity." Sooo... when I see ads using my name on Facebook its illegal? I think if your statement is true there will in an opt-out clause when joining and they are just by-passing that law. Also that Robert Scoble article is a joke, it seems more like emergency PR work than real content to me.