Where Every Ad Knows Your Name
New York Times: Business-Innovation-Technology-Society Bits
March 10, 2008
By: Louise Story
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/03/10/where-every-ad-knows-your-name/?hp
It is becoming an internet world where all the big named companies like AOL, Yahoo, Google, and Microsoft are transitioning over to the Ad network business. Any network you ask will tell you they do not use your registering information when advertising to you, including giving out names, numbers, etc. Google is uncertain if it could even access your information to relay to advertisers because their site is mostly a non-registered site, and could probably only access people’s names if they are registered. Microsoft has gone farther then the other three companies by installing a firewall to block access to this kind of information; however they do not believe first names or nicknames to be personal information. AOL does use name based ad’s, but they have a strict privacy policy which enforces them to only be able to use name based ad’s on their websites and no others even if it is a sponsors website. Yahoo does not use this type of advertising in their systems, or so they say. Nevertheless they do use your registration name as a way of personal greeting when you log on, and for other things that are within their website.
Websites are starting to find new extremes for advertising. Soon it will get to the point where people are tired of using these companies for their business or pleasure and someone will start internet sites without all the advertising. It has now become apparent to me that information is only safe in the privacy of your of head because any information placed into the internet is probably being monitored by multiple systems checking for information, clues to how or who they are, or any other relevant information they can use to lure you into their advertises. I hate the fact anyone can be harassed by advertisers because the internet was suppose to be a place of exploration and fun, not about what advertisement is coming next.
Brad Ingold
