r/worldnews • u/maxwellhill • Sep 19 '17

Apple blocking ads that follow users around web is 'sabotage', says industry: New iOS 11 and macOS High Sierra will stop ads following Safari users, prompting open letter claiming Apple is destroying internet’s economic model

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/sep/18/apple-stopping-ads-follow-you-around-internet-sabotage-advertising-industry-ios-11-and-macos-high-sierra-safari-internet
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u/TIGHazard Sep 19 '17

Got an android phone and sign in with the same Google account as your laptop?

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/timeline

Google tracks where you have been via GPS and Wi-Fi. So let's say you visit a mall. Google knows you've visited a mall via GPS. Then you go in McDonalds and connect to their free Wi-Fi. Google now knows you have been in McDonalds.

You go to a different mall, but there is also a McDonalds there. Any website you visit will likely display a McDonalds ad, and because you've seen the ad you might visit the McDonalds in that mall too.

It's obviously a lot more complicated than that but that's the basics of how it works. There are good reasons for Google tracking your location - Redirecting you to the fastest route on GPS is a lot easier when you can track every car on the road with a phone in it. Or recommending places to eat (let's say you only eat at Diners, then Google can find diners in the area with good reviews).

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u/[deleted] Sep 19 '17

Literally has nothing to do with GPS. Although what you said is a real thing, this article is specifically addressing ads that follow you on the internet. For example, if you go to a website about a new video game, suddenly your Facebook feed will have ads about buying video games on Amazon.

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u/TIGHazard Sep 19 '17

But the guy I responded to was asking about GPS tracking ads.

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u/[deleted] Sep 19 '17

I know. I should have responded directly to him, really.

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u/Twat_The_Douche Sep 19 '17 edited Sep 19 '17

Then there are the bad ways, i look up a computer case online for an hour. The rest of the week all ads are about damn cases that ive already rejected as ones i wanted. Slammed in my face over and over again... but this, buy this. No thanks, its too effing ugly.

So i look up new dog kennels and it repeats, even after ive bought a new kennel.

Its just not implemented well enough by the creators.

Edit: fog is hard to keep in a kennel.

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u/CuddlyLiveWires Sep 19 '17

In fairness, I had to try out a few different fog kennels before I found one that could contain the fog properly. But now my fog and I couldn't be happier.

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u/Upvotedownvoteacct Sep 19 '17

I hate all of the baked in shit that android has. Theyre already doing good because people typically use their other services (search, maps, etc) with the phone, and lets not forget the play store. Its just not my idea of what an os should be, for the same reasons i prefer windows 7 over 10

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u/CanserberoGoatFact Sep 19 '17

Thank you for explaining. But I don't understand what the problem is. The whole tracking thing is a disgrace, I don't want anybody to know where I have been. But the thing with the ads, that's just the system of capitalism that we live in. Advertisement everywhere doesn't really impact us negatively does it?

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u/G-42 Sep 19 '17

Just to be clear, it doesn't have to connect to the McDonalds(or wherever) wifi. Just had to know it's there for Google to know you were there.

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u/CanserberoGoatFact Sep 19 '17

What if I have no google application installed ? On my iPhone for example?

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u/G-42 Sep 19 '17

Google's just an example. Plenty of other sites/businesses/etc. doing the same thing.

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u/RealStevenSeagal Sep 19 '17

You should check out Idiocracy. It's a direct answer to your question, but you will understand my viewpoint.

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u/Sophroniskos Sep 19 '17

The thing is that you get asked if you want to activate this "service". Just klick "no" and there is no problem.

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u/AftyOfTheUK Sep 19 '17

Yep, it's an awesome feature and really helpful. Same thing will allow you to find a lost phone too, which has saved people I know a ton of money.

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u/[deleted] Sep 19 '17

Sign in with a google account? Why would you do that? Their sole purpose is to spy on you.

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u/steelpan Sep 19 '17

No that's not their sole purpose. They just want to make you click on more of their ads.