[negativeonehalf]

Targeted advertising is a good thing. It lets people who make stuff more efficiently connect with people who want that stuff.

The FTC chair is complaining that companies "monetize that data to the tune of billions of dollars a year," but all this means is that this service is tremendously valuable.

The Internet's targeted advertising system is a major achievement of modern information technology and data science, and we dismantle it at our peril.

[ickelbawd]

Really? Peril? We’ll be in perilous danger if we don’t maintain targeted, invasive ad tracking? Get a grip.

[negativeonehalf]

I am saying that we should not destroy a major source of prosperity. Targeted advertising is far more effective than untargeted because it lets you show ads to people who might have any interest in what you're selling.

[Loughla]

That can be done without the massive accumulation of data on each of us.

You join a Facebook group for fashion? Ads for fashion.

You join a Facebook group for woodworking? Ads for tools.

See how that doesn't require any personal information?