Current Event: Google’s new behavioral based ads v.s. Privacy

By alexmeng at 6:49 am on March 13, 2009Comments Off on Current Event: Google’s new behavioral based ads v.s. Privacy

Recently, Google released a new way for it to perform interest-based advertising to its users. It utilizes its users’ behavior to send them targeted ads. The question that arises is how do they obtain the users’ behavior?

Google saves previous search requests and page views.

This new information that Google collects abouts its users raised new privacy concerns given that Google already has lots of information on many users, especially if they use Google’s e-mail service, Gmail, which archives all messages sent to the account unless deleted. Privacy advocates are worried Google having too much information about its users. Some are concerned about Google’s retention policy on user data as they keep it for 9 months while Yahoo holds it for 90 days.

The purpose of this new advertising is to generate more meaningful ads based on behavior, however, that also means receiving ads to items that you are not necessarily searching for at the moment. For example, if your search history was composed of searching for laptops, and you are a site unrelated to technology, you can receive an add for laptops given your past search history.

Privacy advocates are worried sensitive information can be pulled from monitoring behavioral information. Google rebutles stating they do not intend to use it for other purposes and users can delete interest categories at will.

Ultimately, the underlying question is how much respect does a company have it for its users’s data. Will the company use the opportuntistically or in the best interest of the user?

Given Google’s current standing in the public, and their motto: “Don’t be evil”, I believe there won’t be too much pushback on this issue from users, just as long there isn’t any break news that Google solds all its information to telemarketers. This new advertising model is just another venue for Google to collect revenue.

Alex Meng, Jon Fung

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