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Google will let companies target ads using your email address

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Privacy-safe...to a point (Score: 3, Insightful)

by fishybell@pipedot.org on 2015-10-04 18:25 (#PEFY)

If you only log in to your Google account at home, and you're the only one who sees your computer monitor, then sure, they're just letting companies target you based on what people statistically like you have bought. For some, that may mean lots of ads for clothes, other lots of ads for adult services.

What if you log in to your Google account at work and at home. Your at-home purchases should not lead to targeted ads at work. Lots of people buy not-safe-for-work items; most wouldn't appreciate related ads being shown at work.

This is only "privacy-safe" if all the computers you use are 100% private, and even then, being lumped together with others based on how you use your computer is still a basic privacy breach. Unfortunately, in this day and age it's not only expected, but accepted.

Re: Privacy-safe...to a point (Score: 1, Insightful)

by kwerle@pipedot.org on 2015-10-04 19:24 (#PEJW)

Couple of points:
  • If you log in to your home account on work hardware or network, you get what you deserve. It's work's hardware/equipment. If they aren't cool, don't trust 'em.
  • I can't think of anything that google provides that it doesn't provide over https or similar. Work isn't gonna know what appears on your monitor unless someone is watching over your shoulder. See point 1. Blow your caches and browse incognito if you're worried about someone scanning your cache, etc.

Moderation

Time Reason Points Voter
2015-10-04 22:51 Insightful +1 gravis@pipedot.org
2015-10-07 16:01 Overrated -1 wilson@pipedot.org

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