Prompt's TechBlog
Behavioural targeting - free personal shopping!
13 June 2008
Posted by Terrie Chilvers
Digital tech companies like Phorm have been causing a stir for a while now with their newfangled approaches to online advertising. With software lurking on your ISP's network, they can potentially record keywords on webpages you visit and then use this information to target adverts at you.
While it stinks when this is done on the sly (BT reportedly secretly tested Phorm's technology last year), if people know what's involved when they sign up to a new ISP, then I don't see a huge problem with it. Push all of those concerns over internet regulation and online privacy to one side and what you're left with is a rather handy personal shopping service. I think that sounds great.
I frequently find myself distracted when I'm in the middle of doing something important on my computer. As a person of short memory, once I've answered my phone, rescued burning food or been compelled to rid the world of zombies on my 360, I've totally forgotten what I was doing beforehand. To have train-related adverts pop up and remind me that I was booking train tickets strikes me as useful.
Plus, don't people love those sites/lists that recommend things you might like? For, example, 'If you like Maeve Binchy, you might also like these other titles with cottage gardens on the front and swirly handwriting to denote title...' Surely, targeted advertising is just another version of this type of service - in a 'if you clicked on this website, you might also like to click on this other website' kind of way. Click or don't click, it's still your choice.
While it stinks when this is done on the sly (BT reportedly secretly tested Phorm's technology last year), if people know what's involved when they sign up to a new ISP, then I don't see a huge problem with it. Push all of those concerns over internet regulation and online privacy to one side and what you're left with is a rather handy personal shopping service. I think that sounds great.
I frequently find myself distracted when I'm in the middle of doing something important on my computer. As a person of short memory, once I've answered my phone, rescued burning food or been compelled to rid the world of zombies on my 360, I've totally forgotten what I was doing beforehand. To have train-related adverts pop up and remind me that I was booking train tickets strikes me as useful.
Plus, don't people love those sites/lists that recommend things you might like? For, example, 'If you like Maeve Binchy, you might also like these other titles with cottage gardens on the front and swirly handwriting to denote title...' Surely, targeted advertising is just another version of this type of service - in a 'if you clicked on this website, you might also like to click on this other website' kind of way. Click or don't click, it's still your choice.
Labels: e-commerce, privacy
