>Capturing sensitive data is possible thanks to the wild and messy world of real-time bidding [...] Here’s how it works: Each time a smartphone user opens an ap

>Capturing sensitive data is possible thanks to the wild and messy world of real-time bidding [...] Here’s how it works: Each time a smartphone user opens an app or website that shows ads, their device shares data about that user to help show them a targeted ad. The advertiser with the highest bid for the available ad space wins. >The data can go to dozens or even hundreds of companies for each auction. Google says it transmits the data of American users to about 4,700 companies in total across the world. Each “broadcast” — as they are called in the industry — typically shares data about a person’s location —including “hyperlocal” targeting, according to Google own pitch to advertisers — personal characteristics and browsing habits to help ad firms build user profiles. Does Google transmit data about users to these 4,700 companies? I have no doubt ad companies are tracking people in the most horrific ways possible, but it was my understanding that Google's ad business is centered around hyper-targeting, and the 'data about a person's location' is not actually shared.