Yes. I was at an IT "trade show" and one of the speakers asked the assembled audience how much they paid for Google, specifically Google mail. The answer is, of course, nothing. Google allow you to do this because they can sell on the information you give away as part of the deal you probably didn't even know you'd agreed to. Google mail is not private.
It's pretty obvious that all your mail on Gmail is being screened because adverts come up based on the topics you have been discussing. All for your own benefit of course!!
Facebook's always been pretty bad for this - the idea being that you can have a 'logged in experience' on any participating website, with the upshot being you hand over all your browsing data to FB.
Big question really is, what's the drawback (beyond targeted ads, which are remarkably ineffective IMO)? I don't know the answer, but I am sure there's a few... For instance, an old manager of mine was convinced Tesco were selling Clubcard information to the Inland Revenue. Sounds ridiculous to me, but what a way to target benefit fraudsters!
It's pretty obvious that all your mail on Gmail is being screened because adverts come up based on the topics you have been discussing. All for your own benefit of course!!
Never noticed this until I started applying for work in China, the following week google kept throwing 'pro china' adverts at me, quite worrying really.
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It maps your entire life so everyone can see.
You can still make your profile less or more private can't you?
Big question really is, what's the drawback (beyond targeted ads, which are remarkably ineffective IMO)? I don't know the answer, but I am sure there's a few... For instance, an old manager of mine was convinced Tesco were selling Clubcard information to the Inland Revenue. Sounds ridiculous to me, but what a way to target benefit fraudsters!