Having Internet resources readily available 24/7/365 has become a way of life. We use social media to keep up with family, friends, and current events. We surf the Internet to shop and research. Ever wonder why ads are displayed on the site for items you recently researched? Are you being spied on?
Social media platforms show you ads related to things you talk about using a combination of different factors.
The use of complex algorithms analyze your online behavior. This includes posts you make, pages you follow and items you look up. These algorithms can key in on keywords or phrases in your conversations. This way they can make a reasonable determination of your interests and target you with relevant content. The platform may gather information on you based on your location or device your are using. Some apps are integrated with these various platforms that allow them to share data with third parties. There are also ‘cookies’ that allow for tracking of your online behavior. This is also referred to as clickstream data. Cookies are data files that websites build in web browsers in order to track the activity of visitors. Privacy regulations require the site to display a cookie banner to disclose the use of cookies on the website. If you are concerned about what data is collected, you should read the site’s cookie policy.
Adjusting your privacy settings on social media sites can assist with limiting this type of tracking. When visiting an online site you will be presented with a Cookie consent banner.
How can you stop ads from following you around online? Fortunately, there are a few options you can take.
- Use an ad blocker. You can find this setting in your browser settings.
- Use incognito or private browsers.
- Delete cookies. Go to your browser settings to delete.
- Enable ‘do not track’ feature on the browser.
- Avoid using the popular browsers for your search engine. See resource below.
Some sites will allow you to exit out of the ads or request it to not be seen again on your social media site. Don’t fall for the ‘copy/paste’ hoax that promises to get rid of ads and see more friends posts. It flat out doesn’t work.
Does your phone listen to you? Yes. The use of virtual assistants such as Siri, OK Google or Alexa are simply a workaround for typing in searches. You can turn off the assistant in your phone’s settings. Ensure that your phone is up-to-date and malware free. Delete and update the apps. Double check your phone and app permissions regarding privacy and sharing.
Is this the price we pay for having this unfettered access? We may not be able to eliminate all sources of tracking but we can take precautions to limit that access and control our privacy. The only true method to end tracking is to stop using online resources altogether.
Resources:
What are the best private search engines?
Facebook Hoax Promises Way ‘To Regain Friends and Get Rid of Ads‘
Facebook: Control the Ads You See