Users Know Advertisers Watch Them, and Hate It

Chris Blanc tips an Ars writeup on a survey of consumer attitudes toward targeted advertising. The results of the survey, conducted for TRUSTe, confirm that advertisers are in a tough spot. "[The survey company] randomly selected 1,015 nationally representative adults... Although only 40 percent of the group was familiar with the term 'behavioral targeting,' most users were well aware of the practice. 57 percent reported that they weren't comfortable their activities [were being] tracked for advertising purposes, even if the information couldn't be tied to their names or real-life identities. Simultaneously, 72 percent of those surveyed said that they find online advertising annoying when the ads are not relevant to their needs..."

Comments

I see you are having your period...

[Hamster Lover]

Why worry about your period when you have more important stuff to think about?

At Tampax we understand this and that's why our tampons are designed to suit your body and help you get on with life...

Re:Bottom line...Not quite

[CSMatt]

That's marketing?

I always called it "bullshitting."

Just use superliminal advertising instead

[CSMatt]

Hey! You!

BUY STUFF!!!

Re:Just use superliminal advertising instead

[palndrumm]

Superliminal must be some new marketing-speak term. The Simpsons, episode CABF12:

Lisa: But you have recruiting ads on TV. Why do you need subliminal messages?
Lt. Smash: It's a three-pronged attack. Subliminal, liminal, and superliminal.
Lisa: Superliminal?
Lt. Smash: I'll show you. [opens the window, and shouts at Lenny and Carl, who are standing on the corner] Hey, you! Join the Navy!
Carl: Uh, yeah, all right.
Lenny: I'm in.

Re:Well, block them.

[plasmacutter]

you are essentially telling every web site you visit: "I am a user who is excessively concerned with privacy and knows how to anonymize himself. Statistically speaking, I am probably (though not certainly) college-age, computer-savvy, geeky, single, and male. Effective ads for me are likely to include ads for dating services, computer hardware, nifty gadgets, video games, and Ron Paul."

or.. "I am a user who is excessively concerned with privacy and knows how to anonymize himself. Statistically speaking, I am probably (though not certainly) a reactionary paramilitary survivalist cult member. Effective ads for me are likely to include ads for weapons, military surplus, canned goods, religious iconography, industrial grade generators, and DIY bomb shelters."