[PLUG-TALK] Personal Telco, Google spying

[Evans Tucker]

When I need a new dishwasher, I search for dishwashers. For weeks or months
after that, I see ads about dishwashers. Eventually I search for something
else, and then I see ads about that for a while. That's the normal online
experience. If you're experiencing something different, then perhaps
there's something going on via IP, but I think most ad stuff is now good
enough to target your specific browser via cookies. This more important
question is: should you care about what ads you receive? If the ads
themselves bug you, go get the AdBlock plugin for your browser. If you want
ads, but the content is annoying, then I don't have a solution for you...
On Jun 10, 2016 8:51 AM, "Keith Lofstrom" <keithl at kl-ic.com> wrote:

> I run a Personal Telco wifi public access point out of
> my home, perhaps a dozen unique users per week.  That
> consumes some bandwidth, but also hides my own tunnel-
> encrypted use of the WAP.  When Google looks at the
> usage associated with my FIOS link IP address, or
> hoovers up my wifi traffic as they drive by in a
> Street Map car, their "model of me" is muddled.
>
> They use that model for commercial advantage - the
> more they know about me, the better they can tailor
> ads and adjust prices to maximize the profits for
> their paying commercial customers.
>
> The downside of an inaccurate model of me is that I
> must wade through a lot of distracting crap targeted
> at my wifi guests.  While that reminds me that I am
> being watched, it can be slow and frustrating.
>
> Has anyone else running a PTP or other open wireless node
> noticed this effect?  Or am I just imagining monsters?
>
> And have I just screwed the pooch and attracted a lot
> of robotic google attention by sending this to dozens
> of gmail accounts on this list?
>
> Keith
>
> --
> Keith Lofstrom          keithl at keithl.com
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