Do you get weird advertising?

[vergil96]

I do watch videos about tactical gadgets sometimes. And about tinkering. But most often about fitness and I think it's the most likely reason why I get these ads.

 

[Masked Man]

Not sure. I watch YouTube on the tv, but without logging in to an account.

On the other hand, the identifying codes might be linked to my access terminal data.

I don't watch survivalist stuff though, or anything that would lead an algorithm to imagine I'm a survivalist.

Somebody to paying to place ads in dumb places.

Correct, it's both.

There's your location, which is general based upon where your internet service provider is located. Then there's the algorithm determined by your search history and usage, which can further narrow down information.

My laptop often seems to think I am an older woman - I get ads for Depends and skin care lol. I guess I watch too many cat videos.

 

[Outdated]

Aren't these targeted ads generated by cookies from the places we visit on the internet?

It's a combination of factors, your service provider's address/locality as well as cookies. Your actual locality if you're using a phone. Then, if you're always logged in to google while browsing the net then google also stores it's own cookies with your browsing history in there so you'll get a lot of ads for whatever it is that you're looking at on the net currently.

Remember that google itself is an ad server - that's how they make money.

 

[Crabcore]

Advertising is kind of like that; everything has to be larger than life, cooler than the other guy, better in every way, etc.

Obviously, some things really do live up to their hype, though. I can't really say all of it is bad, especially if they know what you're likely to buy. Although if I watch enough ads, I'll end up with a very long wishlist of things I could never afford

 

[Misery]

My question is, how in the world any of you manage to use the internet without an adblocker.

I dont see ads on my PC here... ever. Even in-video sponsor nonsense just gets automatically skipped over.

Every now and then I have to interact with the internet on a machine that doesnt have adblockers of some form, and it's always this insane mess. They're everywhere, even the most basic sites are nigh unusable. Certainly including Youtube. How does anyone watch anything on there? There can be like 10 freaking ads in one video... and it doesnt have to be a long video.

My patience runs out after like, -30 seconds of this.

I can tell you one other thing an ad does, it shows me a list of things I *definitely* wont even consider buying. Annoy me with an ad, and I will make a point of buying from a direct competitor purely out of spite. If I have an interest in that type of product, which is incredibly rare.

 

[Outdated]

Every now and then I have to interact with the internet on a machine that doesnt have adblockers of some form, and it's always this insane mess.

I've been using Linux for 20 years. Ad blockers and privacy are built in. I still see an occassional ad but nothing like Windows suckers have to put up with.