Troubling events in cyberspace

[Papyrus]

I was searching online for a baby gate recently, using my laptop, Windows 10 and Google. I didn't actually order anything, but the next day my wife was checking Facebook on her (android) phone and was presented with an advert for... a baby gate. How come? As far as I know the only connection between our devices is that we use the same router. We don't even have the same email provider.

Am I right to find this just a little bit sinister? Does this happen to anybody else?

Cheers,

Chris

[thebrighton]

You could have done something as simple as talk about it. FB deny it but a group of us conducted a bit of an experiment a few months ago talking about random topics we'd never discussed before whilst FB was open on our phone/tablet/laptop.
The next day ads related to our conversations started appearing on FB. I don't care what they claim they are listening through the apps.

[Dorsetmike]

Another reason I would never use farcebook

[ntpntpntp]

It is simply because you're using devices running through the same router connection so your requests have the same public IP address.    SWMBO and I notice it quite often - adverts for things one of us has been looking at come up on the other's pages.   You can google things like "Household IP Targeting" etc.

Personally I don't find it sinister, just part of the many different ways online marketeers attempt to target ads.  I've never understood why some folk get so wound up about this sort of thing.

[Papyrus]

Even if it isn't sinister it could still be embarrassing. If, for example, I was looking for a surprise treat or present for my wife, I would hate to think that she could find out what it was by this means. I still think it is a breach of my privacy and I really don't like it.

Cheers,

Chris

[guest311]

so much for this new EU privacy law. seems to be a waste of time, as usual.

[Snowwolflair]

The moral of this story is don't search Google for dodgy blondes as Facebook might send your wife an advert for a divorce lawyer.

[ntpntpntp]

so much for this new EU privacy law. seems to be a waste of time, as usual.

But this isn't personally identifiable information, just info about searches against an IP address.

[PaulCheffus]

It is simply because you're using devices running through the same router connection so your requests have the same public IP address.    SWMBO and I notice it quite often - adverts for things one of us has been looking at come up on the other's pages.   You can google things like "Household IP Targeting" etc.

Personally I don't find it sinister, just part of the many different ways online marketeers attempt to target ads.  I've never understood why some folk get so wound up about this sort of thing.

Hi

I don't find it sinister but I do find it annoying when I am looking for a surprise for my wife. I've taken to using in private browsing which appears to stop this.

Cheers

Paul

[ntpntpntp]

Yeah I can see it could be annoying if you're looking for surprise stuff! 

Fortunately neither SMBWO nor I like "surprise" gifts, we'd much rather discuss and get something each other definitely wants/needs. Or generally just not bother and put the dosh toward something else later.

[Malc]

You need to go to Ad settings under your settings on FB. Any sites that have a connection with FB, through advertisements etc can pass your browsing to FB to help target ads. Turn off the settings there.

[mickster04]

It helps if you use incognito mode, or private browsing from your browser. I'm not saying it'll fix the problem but it helps. Facebook also use your browser history to help target adds.

[PLD]

It helps if you use incognito mode, or private browsing from your browser. I'm not saying it'll fix the problem but it helps. Facebook also use your browser history to help target adds.

The advice from one security advisor was use a DIFFERENT browser for Facebook (and a couple of other 'Social Media' type sites) to your regular browsing, and use that browser for nothing else...

e.g. if your preferred browser for regular surfing is Firefox, use CHROME for Facebook etc. they haven't (yet) developed a method of reading stored cookies, history, searches etc across browsers.

[Snowwolflair]

As well as N gauge I build warships and search for parts on the web. 

Paid dividends a couple of years ago when I got sent a VIP guest ticket to the London boat show.  I had great fun lots of bubbly and all I had to do was pretend I planned to buy a £10M luxury yacht for the day.

[railsquid]

It helps if you use incognito mode, or private browsing from your browser. I'm not saying it'll fix the problem but it helps. Facebook also use your browser history to help target adds.

The advice from one security advisor was use a DIFFERENT browser for Facebook (and a couple of other 'Social Media' type sites) to your regular browsing, and use that browser for nothing else...

e.g. if your preferred browser for regular surfing is Firefox, use CHROME for Facebook etc. they haven't (yet) developed a method of reading stored cookies, history, searches etc across browsers.

Definitely a good idea for a number of reasons. Note that with the Firefox family of browsers you can also use multiple browser profiles, which is effectively the same thing as using different browsers.

That won't stop the "household IP targetting", I noticed that happening a while back when Mrs. Squid started getting targetted model railway ads from my local auction site on her computer (which I never use).