The Web Never Forgets

[xtabber]

If you value your privacy online, this paper from researchers at Princeton and Leuven universities will be deeply depressing.

One of the reasons I don't use the Chrome browser is that I've always assumed that Google had built persistent tracking mechanisms into it. -- Don't do evil! Don't make me laugh! -- But it now looks like no browser is safe from the relentless efforts of those who make a living by selling your eyeballs to paying customers.

[KynloStephen66515]

Tbh, web browsing habits being tracked is such an old topic now, I don't honestly think there is a single person left online that isn't completely aware of it...I mean...even opening up an Incognito Window in Chrome proves that it isn't completely "Stealth" as it still serves up ads that you see in the normal window based off your browsing habits.

To be honest though...I see this as somewhat ideal, as I am only being advertised things that I might find remotely useful..which on a couple of occasions...I have.  If I didn't want ads, I would simply install ad-block.

Tracking as a whole really isn't "evil" as you say...I mean...Google have to make money somehow seeing as they don't charge you a penny for anything they host...not a bad deal really..."Use this for free so long as you let us show you a couple of adverts"...seems fair to me.

A lot of the time, on certain websites, I will purposely click an advert purely based on the fact that it helps with the running costs for that website...much like Imgur...I clicked ads there before upgrading to pro...just to help support them...If DonationCoder had ads around the website...then I would also click them, because the more people that do...the more money the website would earn...simple as that.

If TV channels could tap into "Targeted Ads" then it would be a perfect scenario...as I would see stuff I might actually give a crap about rather than a constant stream of stuff I will quite probably never buy/use/want.