Google Starts Beta Testing Its Rebrand of Interest-based Ad-targeting on Android (techcrunch.com) 24
Google has begun letting Android developers kick the tyres of its claimed reboot of ad-targeting -- announcing the launch of the first Beta for its "Privacy Sandbox," an adtech stack proposal which aims to iterate how ad tracking, targeting and reporting is done so it appears less creepy for individual users while maintaining an interest-based, behavioral targeting capability on web users' eyeballs. From a report: A "small percentage" of eligible Android 13 devices will be enrolled in the trial of the beta from today as the adtech giant starts a gradual (but it says global) rollout of the beta -- which will "expand over time." (It's published developer guidance on participating in the beta here.) Ad partners for the trial include TechCrunch's parent Yahoo, mobile games maker Rovio, mobility firm Wolt, cross-platform games engine Unity and mobile marketing platforms AppsFlyer, InMobi Exchange and Adjust. "If your device is selected for the Beta, you'll receive an Android notification letting you know," Google adds in a blog post -- implying Android users will be opted in to the experimental, interest-based ad targeting (and will have to actively opt out if they don't wish their eyeballs to be guinea pigs).
I have a better idea... (Score:3, Insightful)
...Let me pick my ads?
I know this is almost heresy at the Googleplex...but perhaps let users pick some categories or list keywords for ads they want, and if those words are present, let advertisers target them?
"but nobody will ever list out their categories!"
Again, heresy in the Googleplex, but if the options are "determine automatically" or "let me specify a minimum of six categories", it'd be an improvement. Users can trade some modicum of privacy for better ads, advertisers can target people who flat out told them what they need, rather than targeting their washing machine ads to people who just bought a washing machine, and Google can skim a bit more money off the top if people are actually tapping ads.
Again, heresy, and I know the result of this will be Google adding the specified tags to tracking data...but given the direction of their stock price of late, it might not be the worst thing ever to at least give it the community college try.
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OK. That sounds good. I have no interest in seeing any ads. So fuck off and don't show me any ads.
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That's an option too, but there's a price to pay. Don't ever put a Google account on an Android device, and don't install apps that do ads.
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No thanks.
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You can kinda do this with their system. It lets you lock certain categories, so you can block all categories except the ones you want to see.
One line says all that needs to be said (Score:4, Insightful)
"If your device is selected for the Beta, you'll receive an Android notification letting you know," Google adds in a blog post
Guess we know who the real owner of the device is...
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It's an offer, which you can decline. In fact I think you have to sign up to the beta programme before even being offered beta updates.
Cynicism may kill this good idea (Score:1)
This really is a good idea, good for users and good for advertisers, but the widespread assumption that Google wouldn't actually take an action to reduce the amount of information it gets about people is generating blowback that may kill it.
The logic here is pretty simple:
1. The Internet runs on ads, as has every other mass media channel ever invented. Even when they charge subscription fees, they almost invariably end up running ads also, and the truly accessible stuff is always purely ad-supported.
2.
Re:Cynicism may kill this good idea (Score:5, Insightful)
The logic here is pretty simple:
1. Even when they charge subscription fees, they almost invariably end up running ads also
Greed. There is no reason to charge a subscription fee and have ads, except for 100% pure greed.
2. Targeted ads are more valuable than untargeted ads, of more use to the reader/viewer .... This allows web pages to have fewer, higher-quality ads. .... Targeted advertising is actually better for users...
"Targeted Advertising" is 100% Pure Bullshit. There is no such thing as "high quality ads" unless you have developed the ability to read my mind. Not to mention the fact that 99.99999% of all advertising is misleading, borderline fraudulent crap.
This is why Google is doing this. It may not be perfect, but it's an attempt to move in a better direction.
100% Pure Bullshit. Google is simply experimenting with different things to see what makes the most money. It will not result in anything that is "better" for me. The only "better" advertising is none. The only "better direction" is fuck off.
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Yeah, that's not a great argument. That's basically saying "Sure people see ads as abusive, but sometimes they're abusive."
Getting rid of ads in services that are already paid for (even if superficially to reduce a theoretical subscription fee) has to be a major priority for society at large. Having advertisers be the only voice heard when creating content is directly against the idea of having a diverse, amazing, mixture of media.
You're missing the point, which is that almost nothing can survive on a subscription-only model. Slashdot couldn't. if you want content on the Internet, you want ads. You may not enjoy that trade, but that's reality. That's how it worked with newspapers, how it worked with radio, how it worked with TV and today is no different.
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> as has every other mass media channel ever invented.
Not libraries, public radio or public television.
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> Targeted ads are more valuable than untargeted ads, of more use to the reader/viewer and far more successful for the advertiser.
The only true part of this sentence is that they are more successful to the advertiser. Users don't want ads.
Let me repeat that.
USERS DON'T WANT ADS.
It doesn't matter how much lipstick you put on this pig. I'm still not going to kiss it. And if you force it in my face, I'll burn down the goddamn barn.
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If don't want ads (I sure don't), then don't opt in to Google's ads.
Don't use Gmail or those other things, and never never put a Google account on an Android device.
Even better, use an alternative ROM without Google's apps.
is this geo barred? (Score:2)
Google's Filter Bubble Cause Of Societal Discord (Score:2)
Google's whole purpose of advertising, mining people's information to push targeted content at us is the reason for our polarization. Google has literally made the creation of perceptual filter bubbles a science, isolating people into their ideological groups. They use it for everything in their search engine, from ads to news. ABC's/Google's monopoly isn't just bad for economic competition, it is destroying society.
Hide your dirty deeds with complex details. (Score:3)
Google doesn't want you to interfere with it making money, so it makes up a lot of wholesome-sounding language like "Privacy Sandbox", when what they are really doing is just moving stuff around and hiding it under menus. They're still going to snarf every goddamn byte they can and sell it to anyone who asks.
Google is evil. Apple is evil. Samsung is evil.
Every corporation in IT today is evil to a lesser or greater degree. A corporation can no longer be competitive without a measure of evil behavior.
It's time to get the boat, Noah.
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I looked at this and their previous proposal in detail.
The goal is to replace existing advertising systems, 3rd party cookies and ping backs, with something more private. Privacy Sandbox does achieve that, it dramatically reduces the amount of information that advertisers have access to while still allowing some targeting. It's not perfect, but if it means Google is allowed to start blocking other means of tracking by default (the advertisers have already been whining to regulators about it) then it will be
Get on with life (Score:2, Insightful)
"Here's a new, pretty, feminine trap on Onlyfans you might be interested in."
Cut the leash, install CalyxOS (Score:2)
The irony is the Google Pixel is the perfect hardware for a degoogled OS
note the goal is "appears" less creepy (Score:2)
more bullshit (Score:2)