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Microsoft To Add Ads To Smart Search

Vanderhoth writes "Today, Microsoft said its advertisers will be able to target users not just on Web search results pages but directly inside Windows Smart Search. David Pann, general manager of Microsoft's Search Advertising Group, said in an interview that advertisers don't have to do additional setup to participate. The Smart Search ads will feature a preview of the websites the ad will send people to, as well as click-to-call info and site links, which are additional links under the main result that direct users deeper into a website to the most likely page they might want."

6 of 169 comments (clear)

  1. Just copying. by SuricouRaven · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Ubuntu did it first.

  2. Re:Douchebags! by gstoddart · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Even before XBone's DRM clusterfuck, they'd guaranteed I wouldn't buy their next-gen crapbox the moment they put ads on my Xbox dashboard...

    Yeah, that was what prompted me to disconnect mine from the network too, and even though they've backed down and require only one-time, I'm still not buying the new one.

    But if Microsoft is going to start doing this stuff in the core OS, they're really going to further piss off their customers. The last thing I want is advertising embedded in the OS -- because you pretty much have to conclude the OS is spying on you.

    In doing this, Windows has more or less become something you simply can't trust, because those advertising hooks will pretty much be into everything.

    --
    Lost at C:>. Found at C.
  3. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  4. Re:Ugh by Todd+Knarr · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Worse: where I work we're subject to regulatory requirements about data disclosure. Having an external entity (Microsoft) be made aware of what we're doing before it's officially disclosed is a violation of Federal securities regulations. Having an external entity be made aware of private consumer credit information (which I work with regularly) is a violation of Federal privacy, consumer-protection and banking laws. The day this goes in, there's going to be a directive from Legal come down: this feature must be disabled completely or we must cease using Windows.

  5. HIPAA and many other laws/regulations by fallen1 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    guarantees that Windows 8 / 8.1 will NEVER be utilized inside the medical field. I was already looking to have to explain to my bosses why we should not buy laptops with Windows 8 on them and this just sealed the deal for me -- HIPAA violations start at $50,000 per and go up to $150,000 per. Anything "analyzing" searches on our computer systems or networks is right out.

    Thank you, Microsoft, for making my job as an administrator that much easier! It has now become so that recommending Microsoft CAN get you fired.

    --

    Dream as if you'll live forever.
    Live as if you'll die tomorrow.
    ~Anonymous~

  6. Re:Douchebags! by geminidomino · · Score: 5, Funny

    Learn from them? They seem intent on duplicating them, but with even sloppier implementation. That's where the whole "tablet UI on the desktop" trend of idiocy started, too.

    Maybe I'm just coming of "get off my lawn" age, but it's getting rather depressing, just how hard it is to avoid this sort of fuckwittery these days...