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Microsoft Using Personal Data to Target Ads

Posted by timothy on from the so-be-good-for-bidness'-sake dept.

smooth wombat writes "Microsoft is combing personal data with your search habits to produce targeted ads. Users who use Microsoft's Hotmail email service, msn.com news service and other Microsoft-owned sites will see ads specific to their demographic and interests. From the article: 'Microsoft executives say the system works anonymously and they won't pass on people's names or addresses to advertisers. Executives say they want to foster confidence in users to build a long-term business, and one that gives an incentive to not misuse personal details.' "We're in the early days of behavioral targeting but it's an idea whose time has come,' says Simon Andrews, chief digital strategy officer for WPP Group's MindShare, a large buyer of ad time. 'There is a lot of potential to know if people have been looking at specific sites.'"

9 of 139 comments (clear)

  1. Fish are the town, people are the barrel man. by vmfedor · · Score: 4, Funny

    This article is sure to be greeted positively by the Slashdot community!

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    I like my women how I like my sugar.. granulated.

    1. Re:Fish are the town, people are the barrel man. by CantGetAUserName · · Score: 2, Funny

      Being honest, if these guys think they can defeat the combination of my appalling typing in search engine boxes and the spoofed mail account details, they're welcome to try (what, you think I'm really called 'Wibble Blah'?). And if they suceed, I'll ditch the account and get a new one.

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      Semper en excreta sumus solum profundum
    2. Re:Fish are the town, people are the barrel man. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Wow its a good thing I told them I was born in 1959 instead of 1979.....come on Viagra!!!

    3. Re:Fish are the town, people are the barrel man. by Joebert · · Score: 2, Funny

      You didn't know ?
      Spam has been using the advanced system that Microsoft is going to claim to have invented for years. Viagra, lotteries, & Canadian Drugs really are what we all need.

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      Wanna fight ? Bend over, stick your head up your ass, and fight for air.
  2. Clippy by justkarl · · Score: 5, Funny

    "I see you're trying to search for Porn. Would you like to try Microsoft Porn for free?"

    1. Re:Clippy by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 3, Funny

      Why would I since my desk drawer has a ton of naked paper clips? :P

    2. Re:Clippy by Dunbal · · Score: 2, Funny

      Balmer. Squirt. Gaaaahhhhhhh!!! My eyes!!!!!!

      OK, that one got the "coca cola running out of my nose" award. Ewww. I assume that wasn't a chair he just squirted...

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      Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
  3. I got your specific sites right here by Dachannien · · Score: 2, Funny

    There is a lot of potential to know if people have been looking at specific sites.

    The only sites I look at are Slashdot and pron, so put that in your database and smoke it.

  4. Re:This is so scary and Slashdot does it too by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    "How did you know I didn't have a job?" - you're posting on slashdot, pretty obvious if you ask me