Google to offer 'interest-based' ads

[asha]

Google is offering 'interest based' ads to its massive users. Apart from its existing target-based advertising model (offering users targeted ads based on what they are searching for at a particular moment) this model will help user to view, delete or add interest categories associated with their browser through Google's new Ads Preferences Manager tool. For eg: if you cite 'Indian recipes' as among your main interests, you'll be able to view recipe-related ads even when you're on a website that's wholly unrelated to recipes. Better user experience?

[Sreedhar]

Google is always a few steps ahead and with all the personal information they are tracking, that is a cake walk for them as well.

[harish]

Expectedly, Google's behavioural targeting using interest-based ads like Electronic Privacy Information and Center for Digital Democracy. The risk is that Google can exploit the user data it collects for advertising purposes. It's making profit from breaching your privacy. Users beware!

[Prashant]

well thos of u who havent noticed... in gmail most ads shown can be related to your emails.... so how private is your mail... i still have my reservations using gdocs, gmail and google toolbar. well call me a hypocrite i still cant live without google search.

[Sreedhar]

Beyond a point, it all boils down to paranoia. But again, I truly hope Google use the information with respect.

[DJ]

Im not sure how much PG's issue over privacy is a problem.

My thoughts?

1. The local advertising in GMAIL and sites with adsense come from a piece of javascript that looks for related words and matches up adverts with that. I doubt there is any privacy concerns
2. I havent checked Google Privacy Policy but I suspect it fully addresses how they handle privacy. A company like this doesnt get to where it is today without being on the up and up.
3. Even worst case scenario, Google doesnt address this in their privacy policy and they are using this information. The shear volume of information is so overwhelming that they could only use this to gather general information about a range of issues. I highly doubt any of us are important enough as an individual for Google to care about and go tell our moms about all our sins.

[harish]

Well might come as a shock, a surprise or a surprising shock even. These are some of the things (u'r financial details and what's on your computer included) that Google extracts from your online explorations. That's if you happen to use any of their applications. Does Google know you better than anyone else???

[Sreedhar]

But isn't there an element of paranoia as well? We need all those features, so naturally we have to live with this.