[spidermango]

Why do you guys care so much that google is tracking your purchases? They will just that use your own habits to give you more personalized ads or recommendations which is better than random ads not related to your own habits. How does it hurt you as a consumer?

[JohnFen]

> They will just that use your own habits to give you more personalized ads or recommendations

That's one reason I care so much right there. I 100% don't want "personalized" ads. But I don't for a minute believe that's the only thing they do with that data.

More generally, it's simply none of their business unless I choose to share it with them, and it makes me very angry that they don't have a basic level of human respect about that. (To be clear, I don't single Google out on this -- I have this objection to the entire internet advertising industry.)

I don't need to show any kind of imminent harm in order to object to that. I'd also object to someone coming into my house and photographing everything in it without my permission, even if they never did anything with the photographs.

[spidermango]

but why. Everyone just says they don't want personalized ads but why? Also its not the same thing as someone coming into your house and photographing everything at all, false equivalence.

[JohnFen]

I don't like personalized ads for three main reasons.

First, because personal ads are a strong indicator that my web usage is being tracked.

Second, because nonpersonalized ads provide information to me about the site they're appearing on -- they can act as a sort of quickie indicator about what sort of audience the site is intended for. Peronalized ads eliminate this.

Third, because what little usefulness ads supply to me comes from serendipity. Personalized ads eliminate this, too.

In exchange for removing what value ads may have brought me, personalized ads give me exactly nothing in return.

> its not the same thing as someone coming into your house and photographing everything at all, false equivalence.

I think the comparison is apt when it comes to claims that spying on people is OK as long as the spies aren't directly harming you. In both cases, someone is recording your personal data, in both cases, they aren't harming you with it, and in both cases it is extremely objectionable regardless.