[JeffffreyF]

Different was the wrong word. How is it any better(for the targeted) is the question. The assumption that " I know you'll like this" is at best a horrible guess and a lie at worst. I question the belief that tracking a few purchases gives one the ability to have insight into anothers desire to buy your shit.

[mindcrime]

I question the belief that tracking a few purchases gives one the ability to have insight into anothers desire to buy your shit.

Fair enough. My own empirical observation is that some ad targeting initiatives (the aforementioned Facebook example, the Amazon example) DO result in the delivery of relevant ads, which are actually beneficial to both the buyer and the seller. I won't argue that it guarantees that all ads will be relevant. But if I'm going to see a stream of X ads in a given day, I would personally prefer that the percentage of them that are for things I'd legitimately be interested in, be as high as possible.

[JeffffreyF]

Much, much better not to see a stream of ads. That's what's being left out of the discussion. The truth. Don't forget about the point of everything, to make a better life for the living, not just the shareholders. That seems to get left out a lot.