Web advertisers know what you did last summer

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Web advertisers know what you did last summer

By Adam Myers ⋅ April 2, 2008 ⋅

One would imagine that only the most neophyte Internet users understand that their movements are being watched and recorded. A study by TNS Global on behalf of TRUSTe only confirms that; web users are aware of the monitoring - and they hate it. From the survey of 1,015 randomly selected adults in the US:

57% are uncomfortable with advertisers using their browsing history to serve ads yet 72% find ads annoying when they are not relevant - which happens over 75% of the time
40% responded that they are aware of the industry jargon and practice - “behavioral targeting”
Worse for Google and Yahoo still, 54% attempt to foil tracking by routinely deleting their cookies

TRUSTe contends that the results present a contradiction for advertisers, who are being told that consumers want to see more relevant ads but without having their activities tracked in order to bring relevancy. “[N]o matter how much we assure anonymity, there is still significant discomfort with the idea of tracking,” TRUSTe executive director Fran Maier said in a statement. “We have a solid indication that consumers want us to find a way to get them the advertising that is relevant to them. In order to do this, behavioral targeting is one of the most promising methods, but at the very least, it has to be made more transparent, provide choices, and deliver real value.”

The vast majority of users do not really know what they want - or perhaps something that just cannot be. Such is life on the Internets - created as a decentralized organization wherein everything is in the public. You are being manipulated and the degree to which you are aware determines your ability to choose. Advertising is everywhere and maybe The Simpsons show it best:

Lisa: But you have recruiting ads on TV. Why do you need subliminal messages?
Lt. Smash: It’s a three-pronged attack. Subliminal, liminal, and superliminal.
Lisa: Superliminal?
Lt. Smash: I’ll show you. [opens the window, and shouts at Lenny and Carl, who are standing on the corner] Hey, you! Join the Navy!
Carl: Uh, yeah, all right.
Lenny: I’m in.

Why should the Internet be any different?

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