Google starts [more greedy] testing its replacement for third-party cookies
Chrome will drop third-party cookie support when the tokens are ready.
Google has taken one step closer to banishing third-party cookies from Chrome. The internet giant has started testing its trust tokens with developers, with promises that more would move to live tests “soon.” As before, the company hoped to phase out third-party cookies in Chrome once it could meet the needs of both users and advertisers.
Trust tokens are meant to foster user trust across sites without relying on persistent identifying data like third-party cookies. They theoretically prevent bot-based ad fraud without tying data to individuals. This would be one framework as part of a larger Privacy Sandbox including multiple open standards.
https://www.engadget.com/google-tests-ad-trust-tokens-223104543.html
#google #ads #cookies #privacy
Chrome will drop third-party cookie support when the tokens are ready.
Google has taken one step closer to banishing third-party cookies from Chrome. The internet giant has started testing its trust tokens with developers, with promises that more would move to live tests “soon.” As before, the company hoped to phase out third-party cookies in Chrome once it could meet the needs of both users and advertisers.
Trust tokens are meant to foster user trust across sites without relying on persistent identifying data like third-party cookies. They theoretically prevent bot-based ad fraud without tying data to individuals. This would be one framework as part of a larger Privacy Sandbox including multiple open standards.
https://www.engadget.com/google-tests-ad-trust-tokens-223104543.html
#google #ads #cookies #privacy
Apple and Microsoft just proved the power of advertising
What can a newly-revealed tale about Apple seeing an Amazon ad and Microsoft's apparent interest in buying TikTok have in common?
By the time last week was done, I was overwhelmed by the tech industry's twisted nature.
There were the straight-faced obfuscations of tech CEOs before the pure souls of Congress.
There were tech industry internal emails produced by Congress that showed some of the detritus behind those obfuscations.
And then there emerged the delicious notion that Microsoft might indulge in the emotional equivalent of a middle-aged couple suddenly turning to nudism. Yes, committing itself to TikTok.
Somehow, though, all I could think about was advertising.
https://www.zdnet.com/article/apple-and-microsoft-just-proved-the-power-of-advertising/
#apple #microsoft #ads
What can a newly-revealed tale about Apple seeing an Amazon ad and Microsoft's apparent interest in buying TikTok have in common?
By the time last week was done, I was overwhelmed by the tech industry's twisted nature.
There were the straight-faced obfuscations of tech CEOs before the pure souls of Congress.
There were tech industry internal emails produced by Congress that showed some of the detritus behind those obfuscations.
And then there emerged the delicious notion that Microsoft might indulge in the emotional equivalent of a middle-aged couple suddenly turning to nudism. Yes, committing itself to TikTok.
Somehow, though, all I could think about was advertising.
https://www.zdnet.com/article/apple-and-microsoft-just-proved-the-power-of-advertising/
#apple #microsoft #ads
Facebook and Instagram Show the Most Ads, TikTok Shows the Least
Ever wonder which social media platforms flood your feed with the most ads? Facebook and Instagram are at the top on a normal day—but when you use the apps more, they give you extra ads.
Ads are a way of life on the internet. But when it comes to social media, how much is too much? According to a report from WhistleOut, Facebook and Instagram show the most ads, and peak ad saturation can get as high as 42 percent of the content on user feeds.
After analyzing over 8,750 social media posts from 175 different accounts, WhistleOut determined that Facebook's newsfeed averages 21.2 percent ads. Instagram is a close second at 20.6 percent, while LinkedIn (19.6 percent) and Twitter (14.2 percent) follow behind. Interestingly, the recently maligned TikTok has a mere 2.4 percent ad rate.
https://sea.pcmag.com/the-why-axis/38523/facebook-and-instagram-show-the-most-ads-tiktok-shows-the-least
#tiktok #facebook #instagram #ads
Ever wonder which social media platforms flood your feed with the most ads? Facebook and Instagram are at the top on a normal day—but when you use the apps more, they give you extra ads.
Ads are a way of life on the internet. But when it comes to social media, how much is too much? According to a report from WhistleOut, Facebook and Instagram show the most ads, and peak ad saturation can get as high as 42 percent of the content on user feeds.
After analyzing over 8,750 social media posts from 175 different accounts, WhistleOut determined that Facebook's newsfeed averages 21.2 percent ads. Instagram is a close second at 20.6 percent, while LinkedIn (19.6 percent) and Twitter (14.2 percent) follow behind. Interestingly, the recently maligned TikTok has a mere 2.4 percent ad rate.
https://sea.pcmag.com/the-why-axis/38523/facebook-and-instagram-show-the-most-ads-tiktok-shows-the-least
#tiktok #facebook #instagram #ads
Reddit CEO defends allowing Trump ads ahead of presidential election
Reddit is gearing up to run ads for President Donald Trump ahead of the 2020 presidential election despite concerns from employees, TechCrunch has learned. Reddit CEO Steve Huffman addressed some of these employee concerns during an all-hands meeting last week, viewed by TechCrunch.
https://techcrunch.com/2020/08/10/reddit-ceo-defends-allowing-trump-ads-ahead-of-presidential-election/
#US #Reddit #ads
Reddit is gearing up to run ads for President Donald Trump ahead of the 2020 presidential election despite concerns from employees, TechCrunch has learned. Reddit CEO Steve Huffman addressed some of these employee concerns during an all-hands meeting last week, viewed by TechCrunch.
https://techcrunch.com/2020/08/10/reddit-ceo-defends-allowing-trump-ads-ahead-of-presidential-election/
#US #Reddit #ads
TechCrunch
Reddit CEO defends allowing Trump ads ahead of presidential election
Reddit is gearing up to run ads for President Donald Trump ahead of the 2020 presidential election despite concerns from employees, TechCrunch has learned. Reddit CEO Steve Huffman addressed some of these employee concerns during an all-hands meeting last…
The Internet Looked at My Private Photos and Made an Ad
Super sophisticated and creepy advertising machine apparently doesn’t understand style.
We generally accept that our phones listen to us in order to serve up ads that are more effective. And yeah, we’re cool with that. And, until recently, I was cool with that.
Over the past couple of years I’ve noticed “coincidences” that have fed my yearning for a good old conspiracy theory — not the alt-right kind that drives vulnerable people to take drastic action (like drinking bleach, taking pills, and acting violently after the likes of Trump fuels the conspiracy fire) — but the kind that brings me back to the days of Mulder and Scully in the X-Files.
https://medium.com/predict/the-internet-looked-at-my-private-photos-and-made-an-ad-b5b00724fd33
#privacy #ads
Super sophisticated and creepy advertising machine apparently doesn’t understand style.
We generally accept that our phones listen to us in order to serve up ads that are more effective. And yeah, we’re cool with that. And, until recently, I was cool with that.
Over the past couple of years I’ve noticed “coincidences” that have fed my yearning for a good old conspiracy theory — not the alt-right kind that drives vulnerable people to take drastic action (like drinking bleach, taking pills, and acting violently after the likes of Trump fuels the conspiracy fire) — but the kind that brings me back to the days of Mulder and Scully in the X-Files.
https://medium.com/predict/the-internet-looked-at-my-private-photos-and-made-an-ad-b5b00724fd33
#privacy #ads
Why We Think Our Phones Are Secretly Listening to Us
A developer explains the computational complexity of Facebook listening in
Months ago, before lock-down started, I had a friend round for dinner. He was on the keto diet; a high-fat, low-carb regime, mainly consisting of meat and cheese. Also fine, he told me, are Shirataki Noodles. I didn’t know what to cook. Shirataki Noodles were not a helpful suggestion.
Another guest was a vegan, so meat, fish, eggs, and cheese were out. I found myself mumbling dark comments about the keto diet. In the end, we went out to a restaurant.
Later that evening, as I scrolled through Twitter an ad popped up for the keto diet. I’d never shown the remotest interest in dieting before, and my mind raced. Were Facebook and Twitter secretly listening to my conversations? I pictured Zuckerberg with a headphone-clad, Gene Hackman-like figure in the shadows, identifying ads to push to me.
https://onezero.medium.com/why-we-think-our-phones-are-secretly-listening-to-us-4fd4176a43e3
#Facebook #Ads #privacy
A developer explains the computational complexity of Facebook listening in
Months ago, before lock-down started, I had a friend round for dinner. He was on the keto diet; a high-fat, low-carb regime, mainly consisting of meat and cheese. Also fine, he told me, are Shirataki Noodles. I didn’t know what to cook. Shirataki Noodles were not a helpful suggestion.
Another guest was a vegan, so meat, fish, eggs, and cheese were out. I found myself mumbling dark comments about the keto diet. In the end, we went out to a restaurant.
Later that evening, as I scrolled through Twitter an ad popped up for the keto diet. I’d never shown the remotest interest in dieting before, and my mind raced. Were Facebook and Twitter secretly listening to my conversations? I pictured Zuckerberg with a headphone-clad, Gene Hackman-like figure in the shadows, identifying ads to push to me.
https://onezero.medium.com/why-we-think-our-phones-are-secretly-listening-to-us-4fd4176a43e3
#Facebook #Ads #privacy
Apple to delay privacy change threatening Facebook, mobile ad market
(Reuters) - Apple Inc (AAPL.O) said on Thursday that it will delay until early next year changes to its privacy policy that could reduce ad sales by Facebook Inc (FB.O) and other companies targeting users on iPhones and iPads.
The delay could benefit Facebook, which last week said the changes to the iOS 14 operating system would render one of its mobile advertising tools “so ineffective on iOS 14 that it may not make sense to offer it.”
Apple announced new privacy rules in June that were slated to take effect with the launch of its iOS 14 operating system this fall. Among them is a new requirement that advertisers who employ an Apple-provided tracking identifier, or other tools that have a similar function, must now show a pop-up notification asking for tracking permission.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-apple-advertising/apple-to-delay-privacy-change-threatening-facebook-mobile-ad-market-idUSKBN25U2JU
#US #Apple #iOS #privacy #ads
(Reuters) - Apple Inc (AAPL.O) said on Thursday that it will delay until early next year changes to its privacy policy that could reduce ad sales by Facebook Inc (FB.O) and other companies targeting users on iPhones and iPads.
The delay could benefit Facebook, which last week said the changes to the iOS 14 operating system would render one of its mobile advertising tools “so ineffective on iOS 14 that it may not make sense to offer it.”
Apple announced new privacy rules in June that were slated to take effect with the launch of its iOS 14 operating system this fall. Among them is a new requirement that advertisers who employ an Apple-provided tracking identifier, or other tools that have a similar function, must now show a pop-up notification asking for tracking permission.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-apple-advertising/apple-to-delay-privacy-change-threatening-facebook-mobile-ad-market-idUSKBN25U2JU
#US #Apple #iOS #privacy #ads
Companies can track your phone’s movements to target ads
A startup gathers data on when you pick up your phone or go out on a run.
Google and Apple have taken steps this year they say will help users shield themselves from hundreds of companies that compile profiles based on online behavior. Meanwhile, other companies are devising new ways to probe more deeply into other aspects of our lives.
In January, Google said it would phase out third-party cookies on its Chrome browser, making it harder for advertisers to track our browsing habits. Publishers and advertisers use cookies to compile our shopping, browsing, and search data into extensive user profiles. These profiles reflect our political interests, health, shopping behavior, race, gender, and more. Tellingly, Google will still collect data from its own search engine, plus sites like YouTube or Gmail.
https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2020/09/companies-can-track-your-phones-movements-to-target-ads/
#phones #tracking #ads #privacy
A startup gathers data on when you pick up your phone or go out on a run.
Google and Apple have taken steps this year they say will help users shield themselves from hundreds of companies that compile profiles based on online behavior. Meanwhile, other companies are devising new ways to probe more deeply into other aspects of our lives.
In January, Google said it would phase out third-party cookies on its Chrome browser, making it harder for advertisers to track our browsing habits. Publishers and advertisers use cookies to compile our shopping, browsing, and search data into extensive user profiles. These profiles reflect our political interests, health, shopping behavior, race, gender, and more. Tellingly, Google will still collect data from its own search engine, plus sites like YouTube or Gmail.
https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2020/09/companies-can-track-your-phones-movements-to-target-ads/
#phones #tracking #ads #privacy
The Blurred Lines and Closed Loops of Google Search
Seemingly small design tweaks to the search results interface may change how and where people find information online.
January 13 was a fairly eventful day, at least for pre-pandemic times. Cory Booker dropped out of the presidential race. LSU trounced Clemson in the college football national championship game. Attorney general William Barr asked Apple to unlock an iPhone. And Google pushed out a seemingly tiny tweak to how it displays search ads for desktop computers.
Previously, the search engine had marked paid results with the word “Ad” in a green box, tucked beneath the headline next to a matching green display URL. Now, all of a sudden, the “Ad” and the URL shifted above the headline, and both were rendered in discreet black; the box disappeared.
https://www.wired.com/story/blurred-lines-closed-loops-google-search/
#Google #search #ads
Seemingly small design tweaks to the search results interface may change how and where people find information online.
January 13 was a fairly eventful day, at least for pre-pandemic times. Cory Booker dropped out of the presidential race. LSU trounced Clemson in the college football national championship game. Attorney general William Barr asked Apple to unlock an iPhone. And Google pushed out a seemingly tiny tweak to how it displays search ads for desktop computers.
Previously, the search engine had marked paid results with the word “Ad” in a green box, tucked beneath the headline next to a matching green display URL. Now, all of a sudden, the “Ad” and the URL shifted above the headline, and both were rendered in discreet black; the box disappeared.
https://www.wired.com/story/blurred-lines-closed-loops-google-search/
#Google #search #ads
Samsung TV owners complain about increasingly obtrusive ads
In the beginning, Samsung TV owners were seeing ads for new streaming content, apps or Samsung products. Owners are now complaining about larger, increasingly obtrusive, and unrelated ads.
Ads in your TV interface
Sometime in 2016 Samsung began pushing a software update to enable ads in the user interface of previously acquired Smart TVs as well as new TVs. The ads were shown above a new icon in the bottom menu.
The move upset some owners of Samsung TVs while others accepted it. Back then, the ads related mostly to new services (such as GameFly), new content from close partners (such as Google Play or Amazon Video), new movies in theaters (such as Angry Birds 2), Samsung's own services (such as TV Plus) or its own products (such as Galaxy smartphones).
Towards the end of 2019, owners have started to voice their dissatisfaction with larger, increasingly obtrusive, and unrelated ads showing up on their Samsung TVs. These include ads for canned beans or discount supermarkets such as the one embedded below or the one shared on Samsung's community boards.
https://www.flatpanelshd.com/news.php?subaction=showfull&id=1583755244
#Samsung #ads
In the beginning, Samsung TV owners were seeing ads for new streaming content, apps or Samsung products. Owners are now complaining about larger, increasingly obtrusive, and unrelated ads.
Ads in your TV interface
Sometime in 2016 Samsung began pushing a software update to enable ads in the user interface of previously acquired Smart TVs as well as new TVs. The ads were shown above a new icon in the bottom menu.
The move upset some owners of Samsung TVs while others accepted it. Back then, the ads related mostly to new services (such as GameFly), new content from close partners (such as Google Play or Amazon Video), new movies in theaters (such as Angry Birds 2), Samsung's own services (such as TV Plus) or its own products (such as Galaxy smartphones).
Towards the end of 2019, owners have started to voice their dissatisfaction with larger, increasingly obtrusive, and unrelated ads showing up on their Samsung TVs. These include ads for canned beans or discount supermarkets such as the one embedded below or the one shared on Samsung's community boards.
https://www.flatpanelshd.com/news.php?subaction=showfull&id=1583755244
#Samsung #ads
FlatpanelsHD
Samsung TV owners complain about increasingly obtrusive ads
The ads appeared sometime in 2016 but it is now escalating