Ad tracking problem and how to avoid it
Discussion
For a while I've been using MapMyWalk app to trace my sports activities and recently noticed that I get ads all over my Facebook because I visited a few healthy food restaurants and liked them. Now all I see on FB are green advertisements from food to gas to climate change. I researched somewhat and found an article on how tracking works and how to disable it on various devices, from phones to TVs. What's your stories, have you encountered any frustrating experience with tracking and ads?
Mr Pointy said:
colin_p said:
If you use Firefox there is an add on called 'facebook container'
It separates and isolates from the rest of your online activity. I'm no computer geek but it seems to work nicely for me.
Look at adding Ublock Origin, Privacy Badger & FB Purity addons as well.It separates and isolates from the rest of your online activity. I'm no computer geek but it seems to work nicely for me.
That facebook container is really quite clever though.
Mr Pointy said:
colin_p said:
If you use Firefox there is an add on called 'facebook container'
It separates and isolates from the rest of your online activity. I'm no computer geek but it seems to work nicely for me.
Look at adding Ublock Origin, Privacy Badger & FB Purity addons as well.It separates and isolates from the rest of your online activity. I'm no computer geek but it seems to work nicely for me.
cobra kid said:
Is it so offensive having adverts that can be so easily scrolled past?
Yes.It's offensive that they're trying to hide ads in the content. Extremely insulting to my intelligence.
It's offensive that they're hiding malware and tracking programs in the advertisements.
It's offensive that they're wasting my time and bandwidth trying to sell me things I don't want or need, let alone never solicited.
Why are you not offended?
I can't understand how dumb you need to be to want to browse the web without adblockers. OP is the first taking a step into a much faster and nicer web.
Edited by captain_cynic on Wednesday 20th March 11:31
captain_cynic said:
Yes.
It's offensive that they're trying to hide ads in the content. Extremely insulting to my intelligence.
It's offensive that they're hiding malware and tracking programs in the advertisements.
It's offensive that they're wasting my time and bandwidth trying to sell me things I don't want or need, let alone never solicited.
Why are you not offended?
I can't understand how dumb you need to be to want to browse the web without adblockers. OP is the first taking a step into a much faster and nicer web.
Because I'm quite relaxed about a simple scroll past something I don't need. It seems very uptight to be so wound up about it.It's offensive that they're trying to hide ads in the content. Extremely insulting to my intelligence.
It's offensive that they're hiding malware and tracking programs in the advertisements.
It's offensive that they're wasting my time and bandwidth trying to sell me things I don't want or need, let alone never solicited.
Why are you not offended?
I can't understand how dumb you need to be to want to browse the web without adblockers. OP is the first taking a step into a much faster and nicer web.
Edited by captain_cynic on Wednesday 20th March 11:31
captain_cynic said:
cobra kid said:
Is it so offensive having adverts that can be so easily scrolled past?
Yes.It's offensive that they're trying to hide ads in the content. Extremely insulting to my intelligence.
It's offensive that they're hiding malware and tracking programs in the advertisements.
It's offensive that they're wasting my time and bandwidth trying to sell me things I don't want or need, let alone never solicited.
Why are you not offended?
I can't understand how dumb you need to be to want to browse the web without adblockers. OP is the first taking a step into a much faster and nicer web.
Edited by captain_cynic on Wednesday 20th March 11:31
pistonheads.com forums would not exist if users did not see and click ads.
facebook.com would be bankrupt after failing to monetize their platform is users did not see and click ads.
Its offensive that you think running a business such as pistonheads can be done for free and that you're too ignorant to read what you're signing up for.
Mr Pointy said:
Look at adding Ublock Origin, Privacy Badger & FB Purity addons as well.
Thanks a lot, will try these add-ons. At the moment of posting I was only using Surfshark, but as I stated on the other topic I use a VPN mainly to bypass geo-blocks, now I double checked and they have tracker protection (which I stupidly had turned off...). But from what I read online is that at least Privacy Badger is highly recommended as an additional privacy protection tool.Regarding the whole ads thing I don't expect free services to work as a charity, and I definitely don't mind seeing ads on my favorite forums like PistonHeads here. But Facebook is intrusive. Perfect example is this article where they are outright trying to trick their "Research App" users into feeding more information to Facebook databases. My whole point is that it's not advertising anymore but Orwellian scenario, Cambridge Analytica being another example. I even read they now have facial recognition to track their users activity. SO, tracking my location, my events, my conversations and gathering as much information about me as possible, - this is not ads this is a violation of privacy rights.
Edited by MellerT on Wednesday 20th March 14:42
MellerT said:
Thanks a lot, will try these add-ons. At the moment of posting I was only using Surfshark, but as I stated on the other topic I use a VPN mainly to bypass geo-blocks, now I double checked and they have tracker protection (which I stupidly had turned off...). But from what I read online is that at least Privacy Badger is highly recommended as an additional privacy protection tool.
Regarding the whole ads thing I don't expect free services to work as a charity, and I definitely don't mind seeing ads on my favorite forums like PistonHeads here. But Facebook is intrusive. Perfect example is this article where they are outright trying to trick their "Research App" users into feeding more information to Facebook databases. My whole point is that it's not advertising anymore but Orwellian scenario, Cambridge Analytica being another example. I even read they now have facial recognition to track their users activity. SO, tracking my location, my events, my conversations and gathering as much information about me as possible, - this is not ads this is a violation of privacy rights.
Don't use facebook then. Job jobbed.Regarding the whole ads thing I don't expect free services to work as a charity, and I definitely don't mind seeing ads on my favorite forums like PistonHeads here. But Facebook is intrusive. Perfect example is this article where they are outright trying to trick their "Research App" users into feeding more information to Facebook databases. My whole point is that it's not advertising anymore but Orwellian scenario, Cambridge Analytica being another example. I even read they now have facial recognition to track their users activity. SO, tracking my location, my events, my conversations and gathering as much information about me as possible, - this is not ads this is a violation of privacy rights.
Edited by MellerT on Wednesday 20th March 14:42
cobra kid said:
Don't use facebook then. Job jobbed.
Can't say I agree. If you use public transportation and there's something wrong with it, you can request for improvements, same for Facebook. Social networks are fun and useful and I'd rather add protection like PrivacyBadger and Surfshark to block tracking than delete it. And yeah, Facebook should improve their security, another recent example here.Gassing Station | Computers, Gadgets & Stuff | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff