[PCWorld]

Post your comments for Google's behavioral Ad Targeting: How to Reclaim Control here

[lilou]

i did have the impression a few weeks ago that google had changed something to their formula, and asked around if anybody had experienced the same: i.e. search results (even if i am not logged in a google service) seem to take into account sites i visited before, so that previously visited sites would get an artificial bump up in the ranking and 2 people wouldn't have the same top result.

nobody was able to tell me about it, but this new story would corroborate my theory. comment?

ps: talking about organic, not paid for search results

[jinx101]

So does this mean I'm going to start seeing a lot of porn ads? ;P

[number6]

What a pain. I have to opt-out for all those different sites and maintain all the cookies I get from those opt-outs. They could sure make it easier. I also don't like the idea of making me install a plug-in to maintain the cookie.

[oobi]

behavioral datamining - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Definition: Studying the corn kernels in somebody's p00p, then trying to guess what they will decide to eat for lunch.

:p

[MooseBoys]

Just get yourself a hosts file. No more ads, no more tracking.
http://en.wikipedia....wiki/Hosts_file
http://www.mvps.org/...p2002/hosts.htm

[sakeneko]

IMHO this article completely fails to recommend what I think is the best way to opt-out of all of this:
1) Install FireFox.
2) Configure FireFox to accept all cookies, but also to delete all cookies when it is shut down. This prevents any long-term saved cookies, but web sites will work correctly.
3) Install the AdBlock Plus plugin for Firefox, and subscribe to one or two good sets of ad filters. :-)
These three steps will remove most ads from your browser. Any that sneak through can be blocked by right-clicking on the image and choosing "AdBlock Image...".
These steps will also prevent Doubleclick and other advertising networks from maintaining tracking cookies on your browser between browser sessions. Just shut your browser down at least once a day to make sure that cookies are deleted regularly.

[RDunn]

If marketers (they're all marketers) want a blanket opted-in public... then consumers need to have a blanket all-inclusive SINGLE opt-OUT setting... that all marketers adhere to. It's ridiculous for us to have to maintain what could be literally thousands of opt-outs. And our Congressional representatives don't seem to understand that, thanks to lobbyists, apparently.
Like the 'do-not-call' list... we need a 'do-not-infringe-in-any-way-on-our-privacy-or-our-personal-information' list. I don't give my information during purchases so that companies can own it, sell it, or transfer it... but that's what they think and do.

[Cybergrace]

Thank you, sakeneko, I will tell all my friends!

[wikimonkey]

I really have no problem with this...

But there should be an Information Rights Law which declairs that users, consumers are the owners of their own information.
When they "opt in" they actually SELL their information to advertisors, which then pay for the access.

Data for Hot users(frequent shoppers, high networking stats)would be worth MORE than than Cold users.

WE SHOULD OWN OUR OWN DATA... IT'S OURS!

USERS' RIGHTS NOW!

[wikimonkey]

I agree with this. There should also be an all-inclusive "opt-in" as well.
Then any advertisers who use your data has to PAY YOU to do so.

Advertisers, take my DATA... and gimmie my fat $$$!!

[hideinplainsight]

Additional suggestions:
Use Firefox. if not for its overall superiority, then for the available add-ons (including security widgets) that you can tailor to your needs. Then use Adblock Plus to generally block display ads, and CustomizeGoogle to control the Google Gorilla's behavior. You will need to change the settings in CG, at default it does the opposite of what is needed. I do not know if CG will ultimately have controls specific to AdSense, but it works well to whack the current Google "features" and it's a good start. Turn off auto-suggest in Google itself. And never, never set up a Google account or log into one. Can't live without the convenience of your Gmail or other Google Gooses? Then you don't get to maintain your privacy from them. Pick one. Not directly Google-related, but I also recommend use of the following add-ons for add-ons: FEBE, CLEO and OPIE. Together they will let you back-up your FF environment, add-ons, and add-on preferences (that last item is magic) to be restored when needed.

[blackcross]

Do no evil. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Only until their marketing people can spin it into limbo instead of hell.
Do no evil. That's the biggest scam of them all.

[Internet2k4]

Actually, FF3.0 doesn't have the "private browsing" protection available in the IE8 beta (ready for prime time, an excellent browser) and the FF3.1 beta (not ready yet.) The NAI cookies are fine except that those of us who clean out cookies regularly have to keep revisiting the site. Within FF3.0, the NoScript extension is the best privacy protector, along with ordinary virus and malware protection and weekly running CCleaner to purge cookies and other useless files. Note that CCleaner Options tab lets you exclude from purging the useful cookies from your bank, etc. that are genuinely handy and you want to keep.

[phillypa800]

you do exactly what i do sakeneko, except i go a little further to squash this annoying problem. in any browser that one uses you can PROMPT to ACCEPT/BLOCK cookies. whether firefox, IE6.7.8, safari, etc. you have much control over this problem. i also use CRAWLER toolbar to wipe all tracks when the browser shuts down for IE6.7 (beta 8 still has issues).

next, in each browser i add google filters to my cookie blocklist permanently. that way, any associated websites i visit, google cookies are blocked. finally, i run CCleaner before the end of the day EVERYDAY and no annoyance when shopping online, ads are blocked, etc.

BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY - stay away from google search engine!

[number6]

sakeneko said:

IMHO this article completely fails to recommend what I think is the best way to opt-out of all of this:

1) Install FireFox.
2) Configure FireFox to accept all cookies, but also to delete all cookies when it is shut down. This prevents any long-term saved cookies, but web sites will work correctly.
3) Install the AdBlock Plus plugin for Firefox, and subscribe to one or two good sets of ad filters. :-)

These three steps will remove most ads from your browser. Any that sneak through can be blocked by right-clicking on the image and choosing "AdBlock Image...".

These steps will also prevent Doubleclick and other advertising networks from maintaining tracking cookies on your browser between browser sessions. Just shut your browser down at least once a day to make sure that cookies are deleted regularly.

Excellent suggestions.
I created a document on how I avoid Google.
CCleaner is another good measure.

[rccoffee]

The answer to this problem is to boycott Google. Do not use Google at all. Money doesn't talk in the U.S., it sits back and screams. Eventually, Google will "do no harm" or go out of business.

Opt in is what everyone deserves. Having to opt out at all sorts of different websites and even then, some of these fools don't even have a way to opt out!

If 100% of computer users would change Google Search for another search engine, I think this would get their attention. I never use Google Search.

[KLund1]

Get a litle progam called AdMuncher, and you will never see any ads on machine again!!!

Simple, easy, works, no problems

:)

[Scunnerous]

Could someone explain better please - what exactly is meant by "read your browsing history", as stated in the first para? Is Google just reading cookies stored on my computer by Google Search... or any cookies stored on my computer... or is it looking up a database somewhere and comparing results there with cookies stored on my computer?

[LindaA]

Thanks for the opt-out info in this article! I used it to opt out of Google, Microsoft, and YAHOO!

"Confidential" to hideinplainsight. I wouldn't use Firefox unless someone paid me one HECK of a lot of money to use it. That way, I could afford to get another computer when Firefox screwed up my current computer!