Google’s new ad network will watch where you go, and what you do
The search giant has unveiled a new “behavioural targeting” feature for websites on its AdSense network – matching a similar service launched by YahooXtra around the globe last month, and enraging privacy advocates.
It’s old hat to match context-sensitive text ads to the article, or video, that a web surfer is currently watching.
But today Google started to trial a new tool that offer what it calls “interest-based ads” – advertisements not matched to what you’re immediately clicking on, but that take into account your interests and habits in general, as revealed by your entire web surfing history.
Google users will be placed into one of 20 pre-determined categores (matching YahooXtra's targetting service; below), in turn divided into 600 subcategories.
“These ads will associate categories of interest – say sports, gardening, cars, pets –with your browser, based on the types of sites you visit and the pages you view,” says the company in a blogpost announcing the new service. “We may then use those interest categories to show you more relevant text and display ads.” Technology from DoubleClick, bought by Google in 2007, will facilitate the data matching.
IDs of March
The new behavioural targeting service will be trialed worldwide by Google properties, including its search engine and YouTube, from today.
During April, the trial will expand to include independent websites on Google's AdSense network.
Eat me
Although some privacy groups were quick to label the new ad technique as Orwellian, Google says people can opt out by choosing not to receive the cookie (tracking software) that enables the behavioural targeting (see instructions here), or use Google’s Ad Preferences Manager (below), to refine what categories of advertisement they receive – or, indeed, add extra interests for advertisers to target (recalling, to your correspondent, that cow in The Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy that asks to be eaten). It’s all, says Google, in the name of "making ads more interesting.”
YahooXtra already there
On February 11, YahooXtra launched its own behavioural targeting capability, introducing a service that analyses web surfers’ behaviour, then places them into one of 20 pre-defined behavioural profiles of online users around the globe.
“With media dollars under real pressure in 2009, innovation that drives advertising efficiency couldn’t come at a better time”, said YahooXtra chief executive, Kevin Bowler.
The company says all user data is completely anonymous and is examined at an aggregate level only.
Microsoft introduced worldwide behavioural targetting for its Live.com search engine at the end of 2007.
Collision course with regulator
Google’s privacy approach, which requires users to its Ad Preferences site, may not be enough to satisfy the US Federal Trade Commission.
On February 12, the FTC questioned whether industry self-policing was enough, and hinted that regulation may be needed around behavioural targeting.
A key issue: the FTC’s desire that the likes of Google, Microsoft and Yahoo proactively inform their users about what data is being collected, and opt-out options, not wait for customers to visit their preference sites.
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