I'm being watched online

[MossflowerWoods]

I just noticed on another thread I had an ad for

M a y b e l i n e M a s c a r a !!!

Who did that!!!

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I'm getting baby animal magazines. I think it's because I was looking at a subscription to National Geographic for Kids for my son's upcoming birthday.

I have noticed that the ads are much more aggressively taylored based on browsing history. Harbor freight is the worst. If I click on some recommendation from Dargo, I see that exact item show up in ads whether I'm checking my e-mail, looking up news stories, or doing research for work.

 

[beppington]

My dad is looking to get a Nissan Titan, & I've been helping him gather info online ... & the sites know it. Nearly every site I go to has Nissan or Nissan Titan ads ... including TBN

Google may be taking over.

 

[brin]

I use firefox and I don't have any problems like that...

 

[KubotainNH]

I also use Firefox and see zippo for ads. I also have the ABP add-on so no pop-ups. IE is awful.

 

[beppington]

I'm also using Firefox (v 6.0)

 

[tungularafishcamp]

:laughing: Now I don't feel so bad, I thought it was cause the advertising companies know I have no money is why I don't get ads, it is just cause I am using firefox:thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[MicroPilot]

The thing to keep in mind though is that those ads are likely funding whatever site you are visiting, and actually clicking through an ad to visit the sponsor will generate a few cents revenue for the site that hosted it.

I routinely click on ads I have no interest in just to give my favorite websites a little more money.


SUPPORT TBN AND CLICK ON AN ADD!!:thumbsup:

 

[mjarrels]

Not just online... Last December while standing in line to clear customs in Manila, Philippines, wife turns her cell phone on and the screen flashes "welcome to the Philippines". Immediatly turns it back off but still had a $500.00 cell bill when we returned in mid February.

mark

 

[California]

Not just online... Last December while standing in line to clear customs in Manila, Philippines, wife turns her cell phone on and the screen flashes "welcome to the Philippines". Immediately turns it back off but still had a $500.00 cell bill

Did you get the $500 taken off the bill?


I never see ads online, using Firefox + AdBlockPlus.

I've read the latest development is that advertisers track you by the IP you connected from, combined with other attributes your browser reveals, so blocking cookies won't help. They can still accumulate a profile on you. Maybe its time to use a proxy. Can anyone explain how that works, and suggest a source?

 

[chrisott]

I think Google is reading my emails in my gmail account. I wrote a friend about going kayaking and now all I have are kayaking apparel and accessory ads around me when I check my email.

 

[MicroPilot]

I think Google is reading my emails in my gmail account. I wrote a friend about going kayaking and now all I have are kayaking apparel and accessory ads around me when I check my email.

Google does scan e-mails to show relevant ads. They always have and its no secret.

 

[MicroPilot]

...Maybe its time to use a proxy. Can anyone explain how that works, and suggest a source?

A web proxy is a server that you tell your browser to use for all its communications with the web. The proxy server acts as a middle man in all web page requests.

Normally your browser takes the URL you enter in the address bar, submits this to a DNS server to resolve into an IP address, then initiates communications directly with that web servers IP address to load it's pages.

Using a web proxy, your browser submits the URL to the proxy. The proxy takes care of resolving the URL to an IP address, and initiates communications with the web server. Any data that the web server provides to the proxy is then passed by the proxy to your browser.

Using a proxy server hides your IP address from the remote web server, and some can also be configured to hide details like browser, and other machine info. Proxies are typically used in corporate networks to control access by the companies users to the internet. Some proxies even require a username and password to be able to access the internet.

Personal use proxies do exist, and are called Open Proxy servers. Search wikipedia for a full discussion of Open Proxies. Googling for "web proxy server" also results in some articles describing the usage of proxy servers. Unfortunately proxy use is a technical and sometimes shady practice, but it is possible.

 

[California]

Unfortunately proxy use is a technical and sometimes shady practice

That's what I was wondering. How do you know the proxy service doesn't monitor your data. Then for example, open a new credit card in your name.

Passing everything through one proxy looks as risky as letting Google build a profile that they sell to spammers.