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Jun 13, 2008 -- Online and cable TV worlds delivering targeted ads

Behavioral targeting for ads is all the rage these days among both online and traditional advertisers. When you're surfing around on your computer, a user profile can be easily built as you're tracked from site to site using cookies. Based on that profile, you can then be fed targeted ads.

The Washington Post reports that one marketer has fine-tuned this process to the point that they were able to identify 40,000 brides-to-be based on their visits to sites that had nothing to do with getting married. Of course, the surfers were then served ads related to their coming nuptials.

The feds are trying to decide if these practices violate your privacy. The ad agencies and advertisers obviously don't want you to have anonymity on the web.

The cable TV industry, meanwhile, has a new $150 million initiative in the works called Project Canoe. The goal of Project Canoe is to come up with ways to feed targeted commercials to your TV based on your show preferences. So the ad spots you'll see may be completely different than the ones your neighbor sees. The hope is that you won't TiVo past the ads because you'll actually be interested in them.

Clark believes there's a serious creep-out factor here! What do you think?


Unfortunately, Clark won't be able to answer any questions submitted via commenting. If you have a question, please try posting it to our message boards.

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What others are saying

  • ad targeting and profiling
    What can we do about it
  • I HATE ADS
    If advertisers could put ads on the inside of your eyelids so you would see them in your sleep they would...I hate ads everywhere, expecially these on- screen ads while your watching a tv show...aparently now waiting for a break in the show your watching is not nessesary, why no public outrage? Ads are distracting and annoying, all i want to see is maybe a station logo in the corner at the most...i wish you could avoid them like telemarketers, get put a list and get just entertainment channels. They could have a few ad channels for people who feel like shopping. But they don't want you in control, if we give them an inch they take a yard, so i say no to advertisers that want to invade our privacy to better target us.
  • target ads
    I usually tivo past ads. however when viewing live tv why not see ads that may be of at least some interest to me.
  • So What?
    I don't watch them anyway - that's when I go to the kitchen for a snack, or to the bathroom, or Tivo past them.
  • targeted ads via TV
    No, I am not in favor of targeted ads. If I want something or need information, I know where to find it. I don't need to filter out more extraneous, unsolicited information.

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This week's poll
Do you like the idea of auto insurers switching to a pay-as-you-drive model -- where how, when and where you drive may be monitored?
Yes, I'm all for any approach that can save me money.
No, it's too much like having Big Brother in the back seat.
I'm not sure. I'd like the savings, but I don't know if I'd feel comfortable being monitored.
see previous polls


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