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I work in digital media and I utterly and entirely recommend EVERYONE use ad/analytics/tracking blockers and browsers which limit user-level data collection and
by garciasn 3y ago
I work in digital media and I utterly and entirely recommend EVERYONE use ad/analytics/tracking blockers and browsers which limit user-level data collection and tracking.
As someone who works in the field and actively builds end-arounds to systems that thwart our ability to easily track your behaviors online, it's in your best interest to do so.
Sure, you don't have to do any of this, but seeing any particular ad is the least of your problems when one loads.
- w0m 3y ago> seeing any particular ad is the least of your problems I run a blocker. But for a general user not hitting shadier corners of the web and careful what they click on - What are the larger problems people discuss, and how are they relevant in the day-to-day?
- garciasn 3y agoIf you're located in a non-GDPR (or in a lesser sense CCPA) legislation area, YOU are being tracked cross-site and profiles are being built on your data to better target and sell your behavior for the pleasure of using the Interwebs. Do EVERYTHING in your power to avoid that.
- HeyLaughingBoy 3y agoYeah, I know. I just don't care. Seriously, I remember this being pointed out literally 20+ years ago. It's gotten far worse since then. Horses are out, no point worrying about the barn door now.
- w0m 3y ago> Do EVERYTHING in your power to avoid that. The question was, "Why should I care?" A nebulous 'They' have had profiles on all of us since at least the 50s regardless; what's the difference and harm?
- t0bia_s 3y agoYou know that your data are valuable and make profit for others. You know that those data can be used to manipulate your decisions, to shape your thoughts, your wallet, your voting... Yet, you dont care?
- w0m 3y agoHasn't that been society since the advent of advertising, and 'targeted' since at least the 1950s? Everything (and everyone) around you is shaping who you are; I've always attested that the key was to try and be as self aware as possible.
- t0bia_s 3y agoI do recommend documentary Ceuntury of Self (2001) about this topic. Apparently more consumer citizens are less confrontational. Idea comes from S. Freud and was implemented by propaganda, later renamed to public relations, of individualism by Edward Bernays in US in 30's. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Century_of_the_Self https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Century_of_the_Self
- carlosjobim 3y agoIf you disable your ad-blocker, you'll notice that scam and malware/virus ads are everywhere, they're not relegated to the shady corners. Instagram, Facebook and newspapers are for example absolutely infested with pure scam advertising.
- gnz11 3y agoI would say Facebook receiving private health data presents a large problem. https://themarkup.org/pixel-hunt/2022/06/16/facebook-is-receiving-sensitive-medical-information-from-hospital-websites https://themarkup.org/pixel-hunt/2022/06/16/facebook-is-rece...
- fragmede 3y agoThe only real attack I've heard about is that if your insurance company finds out you participate in risky behaviors, they'll raise your rates. Otherwise why does it matter if Google knows my age and some of my hobbies?
- psychphysic 3y agoOtherwise when you wife asks why you're getting ads for 'single Muslim women in your area' you'll have no defence.
- wkat4242 3y agoOr ads at work for BDSM paraphernalia which I look at at home :)
- Given_47 3y ago[dead]
- w0m 3y agoThis is a serious concern; it's been getting slightly better (Thanks Obama), but I think it's more of an overarching issue with how insurance and risk is structured than anything. There should never be financial incentive to not seek preventative/diagnostic medical care. That's simply a broken system.