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Title: Google Ads tracking me everywhere I go.
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Published: Jan 6, 2011
Author: Me
Post Date: 2011-01-06 13:33:42 by Critter
Keywords: None
Views: 338
Comments: 15
A month ago, I searched for and purchased two pounds of rye flour online, from a site called My Spice Sage or something like that. I had checked every local market, supermarket, and came up empty. Lately, I have noticed that every site I go to which uses Google Ads is showing me ads for My Spice Sage. At first I was thinking, wow, this spice place is spending a fortune on google ads, they're everywhere, but just now I remembered my flour purchase, and I seemed to remember that name. I clicked on an ad and went to their site, and sure enough, I was able to log in their and see my past order. Somewhere in google ad universe, they must have my IP recorded and are targeting ads to me base on my past buying habits. This also occurred over the summer with marine supply ads, but I never did get a chance to check it out thoroughly. This is pretty spooky. I'm sure it's been discussed here at some point, no? Or am I making a new discovery? Anyone else notice anything similar happening?
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#1. To: Critter (#0)
They're using a tracking cookie. It is inserted by a Google program called "Ad Sense" which records the key data so that wherever you go and whatever you do, as long as that cookie is present, they can deliver ads specifically aimed at you and your browsing/buying habits. Not all sites warn you that they are attaching that cookie. Your browser should allow you to remove it. Even though it is a pain in the ass I periodically just do a mass delete of ALL cookies.
"“Believe nothing merely because you have been told it. Do not believe what your teacher tells you merely out of respect for the teacher. But whatsoever, after due examination and analysis, you find to be kind, conducive to the good, the benefit, the welfare of all beings - that doctrine believe and cling to, and take it as your guide.” ~ Gautama Siddhartha — The Buddha
I thought mine get scrubbed every day by my spyware program. I guess I better start doing that manually and see if things change. Here's a screen shot from a visit to The Daily Paul a few minutes ago:
#2. To: Original_Intent (#1)
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#3. To: Critter (#2)
A cookie is different from a specific malware or spyware program. As such your spyware program likely does not recognize it as spyware (and it would not surprise me if Google is not paying them to keep it that way).
"“Believe nothing merely because you have been told it. Do not believe what your teacher tells you merely out of respect for the teacher. But whatsoever, after due examination and analysis, you find to be kind, conducive to the good, the benefit, the welfare of all beings - that doctrine believe and cling to, and take it as your guide.” ~ Gautama Siddhartha — The Buddha
#4. To: Original_Intent (#3)
I manually cleared out my cookies and now I'm a free man. :) Thanks!
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#5. To: Critter (#0)
If you use firefox, I use the ad blocker and script blocker add-ons. You can block these ads from being displayed or even from being downloaded at all. .
Click for Privacy and Preparedness files
”I say to each man and woman, you are unique and sovereign, the center of a universe. However right I may be in thinking as I do, you may be equally right in thinking otherwise. You can only accomplish your object in life by complete disregard of the opinions of other people.“ - Aleister Crowley
#6. To: PSUSA (#5)
I don't mind ads being displayed, I just don't like them remembering me. :)
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#7. To: Original_Intent (#1)
I just set firefox to prompt when a site wants to hand me a cookie. It is amazing how many cookies they try to give you when you're surfing. I don't know why I never bothered to learn anything about cookies.
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#8. To: Critter (#4)
Cool, and You're Welcome.
"“Believe nothing merely because you have been told it. Do not believe what your teacher tells you merely out of respect for the teacher. But whatsoever, after due examination and analysis, you find to be kind, conducive to the good, the benefit, the welfare of all beings - that doctrine believe and cling to, and take it as your guide.” ~ Gautama Siddhartha — The Buddha
#9. To: Critter (#7)
I don't know why I never bothered to learn anything about cookies. I got started when I started reading about how they were being used to track you etc., ... and that prompted me to learn more. Which reminds me that I need to go in and do some housekeeping myself. ;-)
I just set firefox to prompt when a site wants to hand me a cookie. It is amazing how many cookies they try to give you when you're surfing.
"“Believe nothing merely because you have been told it. Do not believe what your teacher tells you merely out of respect for the teacher. But whatsoever, after due examination and analysis, you find to be kind, conducive to the good, the benefit, the welfare of all beings - that doctrine believe and cling to, and take it as your guide.” ~ Gautama Siddhartha — The Buddha
#10. To: Critter (#0)
Lose goog. Try startpage.com - it never tracks or traces, and you have the option of surfing anonymously if you wish.
Somewhere in Kenya, a village is missing its idiot.
#11. To: Lod (#10)
I do use start page from time to time, but I like a lot of the features of the google tool bar. I wish start page would come out with a decent tool bar.
Try startpage.com
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#12. To: Lod (#10)
Oh, and yes, startpage uses google adsense for their ads. That's a little hypocritical, no?
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#13. To: Critter, 4 (#12)
Firefox blocks all ads here.
Somewhere in Kenya, a village is missing its idiot.
#14. To: Lod (#13)
I just set up my firefox to use startpage for searches entered into my address bar:
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#15. To: Critter (#14)
Nice. I failed to mention that my blocking preference also block images that are posted here, as well as on some other sites. Oh well...
Somewhere in Kenya, a village is missing its idiot.
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