We are all used to seeing ads on Web pages as we surf. Google ads seem to be very popular and they frequently are related to the topic of the Web page that you are looking at. This week’s article discusses how Google accomplishes this feat and how its programs have changed to be more effective. Go to the link below and read the article. Write a reflective comment that shows you have read the article, expresses your views, and addresses my questions.
How might “interest-based ads” be good or bad? What do you think about “retargeting?” What kinds of information that is tracked by Google and other search engines should be kept private and not used in determining ads to display? How useful will the disclosing text that Google is now putting on the bottom of its ads be to consumers? Is this something that all search engines should do with their ads? What choices would you make with Google’s ad preference manager?
Privacy Controls Article
16 comments:
“Interest-based ads” have the potential of being both good and bad. First of all, they can sometimes be bad if a person is doing something private on their computer and does not want to receive any ads connected to it, which other people might be able to possibly see if they log onto that person’s computer during that week. However, they can be good if a person is searching about the latest Dell computers and then they get ads for a whole week about them; thus, they can have a wide variety of computers to choose from. As for “retargeting”, I think it is extremely bad because in a sense, it is as if a person is always watching you online and collecting all this different information about you that you might not want other people to see and then they will most likely annoy you for a whole week with ads related to your searches. Also, it is as if a person is following you from one site to the other with ads based on your previous searches, even after you have left those sites already. Moreover, the kinds of information that is tracked by Google and other search engines that should be kept private and not used in determining ads to display is when a person is searching things outside the simple world that enter the business and social world, like possible business deals and online dating sorts of things. This is considered to be personal information, which most people would not like to be gathered about them. On the other hand, the disclosing text will probably be useful to consumers because when a person sees an interesting link for an ad that fits with the topic they are searching, they will most likely follow it to learn more about it and see what other products it offers, as well as if it is reliable. In addition, I believe that all search engines should do this with their ads, as even though it might decrease the amount of money they make, it will allow consumers to come to certain conclusions about the ads they view and check their reliability; the lack of this technology is what causes most consumers to steer away from online ads. Last, but not least, when it comes to the choices I would make with Google’s ad preference manager, I would first remove all the categories associated with my cookie and add none and then I would click a button to have the DoubleClick cookie removed from my browser by installing a new cookie that tells Google not to track me. Many people might find this tracking useful and fun, but I do not find it amusing to be tracked while online, as it infringes on my privacy.
I think that “interest-based ads” may be good because, well, you can find the things you are looking fore through advertisements. Advertisements can possibly stop being those annoying useless things that we never take the time to look at. I could be looking for something, and Google will notice it, and then show it to me through ads and I can get either better deals or better quality. They could be bad though because like Ramy mentioned, you might not want them to know what you are searching, and you definitely might not want them showing ads about it. In addition, it could be bad because someone could search something they do not really want and searched for insignificantly, then get ads about it for a week. That does become somewhat annoying. In my opinion, retargeting is good. I think it is smart. If I am searching for a specific MP3 player, let us say. In addition, I keep searching for it and they recognize that, and I am still looking and I find nicer/cheaper ones on ads, I will start looking deeper into them. Thus, Google is helping me. I think that the type of information that should be kept private are things such as women/men, or anything that goes along with personal life. I also think that specific types of books or magazines should be kept private, and shouldn’t be given ads about because they might also have things to do with personal life that the person doesn’t want all over their screen. Disclosing text is going to be very useful to consumers because consumers can feel that the advertisements are actually helping and are efficient. The lack of this text actually draws consumers away from ads and makes them doubt their reliability. Definitely, disclosing text is something that all sites should do with their ads simply because it is helpful to the consumer and makes the consumer feel safer and trust what they are doing more. If the ad does not have disclosing text, it will make them think twice about the site; we would not want that. Sites want their consumers to be 100% sure of their sites. The choices I will make are few and simple: computers and electronics, books and literature, and finally, clothes. Those are the 3 things that I would want ads on and I would like to know what’s new and different with them. Other than that, I’m really not interested.
I heard about this a while ago in an article in a section about "Click Online"- you know the BBC program that focuses on technology?
Well anyways, in the show they said that it could be something good, because lets say- somebody wants to buy a camera for his wifes birthday so a few times he searches it bu he doesn't find what he wants, then he later sees ads for cameras.
They also said it could be bad because if that mans wife went on again later, she would see a lot a camera ads and might get suspicious.
more comments will follow
Omar Abdel-Rahim post
I think that ads can be both bad and good. They can be bad in that it may disturb when you are just surfing the internet, and they disrupt your privacy and might be quite annoying. On the other hand, they might be quite useful in that if I was looking for the latest automobile, then an ad popping up offering mea legitimate, great deal would be quite welcome. They can be both a nuisance and helpful. I dislike the retargeting, as it invades your privacy, and bombards you with many different advertisements for the same thing. That can get quite annoying. It is as if they are looking at exactly which sites you looked at. The things that Google and others that should be kept private should be things like if the person was on an online dating service. It would be quite invasive if a new ad propped up for a new date. The same could apply to the workplace. Business information should be considered private as well, as it is nobody else's business what is going on at your work, and it would also be quite rude if an ad propped up with a new job offer every so often. These should be kept secret to the person. The disclosing text at the bottom will likely be quite useful for those who find an ad that they like, as it could expand their interest in the item, as they could now go to a certain area and learn more about the advertised object that interests them. It also shows them that this place might be dependable, as they are willing to offer more information about the object. If ads did not have disclosing text, then it would make the person wonder if the ad was from a reputable place or not, as they refuse to give any information. This is definitely something that all search engines should do, as it would show that not only does this place seem authentic, because it gives extra information about the ad, and is a reliable ad, but also promotes the search engine, because it shows that they generate top-notch advertisements for the consumer. As for the ad preference manager, I would try and configure it so that, instead of it tracking every single site that I go to, it will only provide ads for the things that I am genuinely interested in, for example sports equipment. This will help much, as I will now have privacy, because i can choose to keep certain ads off my screen, and I can also configure it so that it would only show ads about things I don't mind sharing, instead of every single thing.
It could be a good thing because it'll show different items or services to an individual that they could use, but they wouldn't otherwise know about. It could be bad because it might drive people to bankruptcy buying things that they like, but don't need. It could get annoying, but it'll help you see different prices for one thing. I don't think anything that's used to register for anything should be used to track a person. It's personal, and that's why in the terms of agreement, it usually says that no information given will be shared with anyone else. If the site doesn't give the information away, then that means it's stolen, which is even worse than the site giving it away. It tells the consumers that it's not just a random advertisement, but it has a purpose and Google knows its there. I think its better for the advertisers to let the networks put their site names on the ads because it will help save money for the size of the ad (and the pixels used). I'd only add things that I wanted to buy things for, not all my interests, or else I'd feel compelled to buy things.
Internet ads can sometimes really be helpful. For example, let's say I search for a certain object I would like to buy online but I do not know a lot about its background, and therefore I will need all the help I can get. Some of those ads could have exactly what I was looking for, and could help me find an even better place to shop in. Retargeting could actually be really good and helpful. It could find patterns and help me find the thing I'm looking for. I think that information about private life should be excluded from their ad finder program. The disclosing text that Google is now putting on the bottom of its ads is really helping the consumers understand what the ad is trying to say, and helps explain if this ad is really worth it. I don’t think all search engines should do it, because then people wont have a choice. Also not all search engines are as "good" as Google and therefore might ruin the idea. I would probably make a thing that will allow users to "forget ad", which will act just like the delete history.
“Interest-based ads” can be good in two possible ways, it can find things you are looking fore more easily, and it’ll the readers what new possible items they are able to use.
“Retargeting” is kind off smart in some way, let’s say it sort off watches you, so if you’re looking something over and over again, they will notice it and send you advertisements about it, however you lose all of your privacy :S
Information about private life should be kept private (dating sites, business information etc etc etc).
Well it will help the readers to see if the product they’re looking for is really worth it, and interesting. I think all the search engines should do that, because it’s quite helpful.
I like what Ramy said about the DoubleClick Cookie that will get removed by a new cookie being installed and that will tell google not to track me :)
I think that the “Internet-based ads” would be both, a bad thing and a good thing. First of all, I would think that it would be a good thing because you can find something that you have been searching for a long time or the thing you found could have something you wanted that is useful for buying such as a phone or a computer. It can be a bad thing also, because the advertisement that you pressed might have a scam or it can take you to another web page that would give you a virus on your computer and that can screw up all the information and applications you have. It also can make your computer very slow. Lastly, the ad would be bad because it can disturb you while you are looking at a website and you are really concentrating on it. I think that “Retargeting” would be a bad thing because you won’t be in a comfortable mood when someone knows the specific site that you are on. Also you will get so many ads from the person that is watching you and it is so annoying but you might be on a bad site and it will be good when he is sending you more ads so you would stop going on it. I think that there are many different kinds of information that should be kept private. The first kind of information would be the chatting sites with other people (such as Ebuddy or Facebook etc.). The second one should be the information for reserving for events, flights, and also restaurants. The last one should be the research information that we use for subjects like History because there is nothing wrong with getting information about important people or groups of people in the past. The disclosing text that is now being put on Google is useful to the consumers because you would know if it is a good ad or a safe ad you want to look at. I definitely think that it is something that all the search engines should do with their ads because it will be better so that many people can look at the ad without being worried. The choices that I would make with the Google’s ad preference manager are that I would remove all the ads that are tracking you because you need you privacy on many things through the internet.
I think "Internet-based ads" can be good a bad at the same time. Why? Simply because they have distractions. They can be good because when you are searching for something you want you could find an ad to it saying its cheaper here in our web site, or they might say come and compare prices. So you end up getting a good background on the item you want. The bad part is that it's a distraction. For me when I want to search about the woods in The USA an ad will show up saying come camp in the wilderness of America in the woods, and forests? So it becomes distracting when conducting studies. I think "retargeting" is an extremely bad thing, for me I don't want some tracking cookie following my every where about on the web, I believe that it is still my personal information, but the New Anit-Virus software takes care of that, by disabling it. At first I thought Google wouldn’t do such a thing, but then I realized its not under their control it’s the ads but still I do not think that retargeting is good but the internet-based ads are OK, the still get on my nerves when I'm doing a last minuet research project!
I think that interest-based ads are good because it will give many different information’s and ideas. I think that retargeting is a smart way of attracting buyers, but it can be annoying. I think that private information should defiantly be kept private like dating sites, business deals, and other private things. I think that it will help the reader because so the reader can know if their item id dependable and worth buying, and I think that all search engines should do it because its useful.
I will continue my comment here-
They shouldn't put cookies into your computer to track what your interest are, but the way that they see it, if they can get money by advertisements, then it's ok.
When I saw the release of this technology on click it said that it would store information from people that visited adult web sites, I don't know how they can tell the difference.
I Like the idea of this because it means money for Google, a company lead by liberals :). I also like the idea of this because I can use the ads to find products that I like. Such as dive equipment or biking gear etc...
If I chose the ads, then I would choose Ads from the companies that give me the most money, but if a certain brand of something was searched then the ads would be of that brand.
Omar Al-Sadi
I think ads are good because they give you random information and maybe one ad would be helpful for your use. The bad thing is that it might be a virus and that may harm your computer. It is also sometimes annoying because it distracts you while your working. Personal information should not be displayed. It will be helpful and easier for the reader. They should limit the number of ads. I wouldn’t put any ads because they annoy me.
I think that it is a good thing and bad. They can be bad if someone is doing something and he needs privacy. They can be good if someone is searching about the new Dell computer and then they get commercials about them
I think "interest-based ads" might be a good thing because it can show different items or services to individuals that they could be using. It can also be a bad thing. Personal information shouldn't be displayed or tracked by Google and other search engines. Its really useful putting disclosing text that Google is now putting on the bottom of its ads be to consumers it explains the ads. I think thats something all search engines should do with their ads. They are kind of annoying so i wont make choices that Google's ad preference manager
I think "Interest-based ads" are sometimes good and sometimes bad. Firstly they can be bad if the person is doing something private, they also sometimes contain pornographic contents that parents probably are trying to keep away from their kids. It could also be bad because it could be really distractive at times, especially when you're busy doing something else. Somebody might be doing something private and does not want to receive any ads connected to it. They might be good because the ad that you might get might be something you have been trying to buy. I think retargeting is useless, annoying, and stupid. It steals a persons privacy, its as if someone is always watching you online and collecting information about you that you might not want others to know about. I think that information about the person private life should be private and excluded from their ad finder. I think that the disclosing text that Google is now putting of its ad is very nice and helpful, it gives a good insight of the ad. Yes, it is something that all search engines should do with their ads. I would make a choice would be to "Delete ad history" which deletes all previous ads that have been shown.
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