http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/10/technology/10privacy.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper&oref=slogin

This New York Times article discusses new marketing strategies and practices by online advertisers. Some sites now track usage history and individual user trends to customize advertising to specific people. To quote the article, “These companies use that information to predict what content and advertisements people most likely want to see. They can charge steep prices for carefully tailored ads because of their high response rates.” Therefore, one’s surfing history will affect which ads they see, rather than the practice of selling specific keywords as discussed in class.

Several voices have spoken out against this practice, citing privacy concerns. These marketing companies track the user’s history and predict their next site visits. However, specific machines, rather than individuals, are tracked. Also, companies maintain that this will help consumers as they will see relevant advertisements on a regular basis. “A study of California adults last year found that 85 percent thought sites should not be allowed to track their behavior around the Web to show them ads…” says the article.

Despite privacy concerns, this practice is likely to continue in the foreseeable future, but whether it will be a minor bother or Big Brother remains to be seen.