Ads aimed just at you

By now everyone has heard of targeted ads. You buy one product on Amazon and the next day you see ads all over your internet browser showing you a similar product.

The days of Mad Men are fleeting away quickly with every mouse click to a product. Instead of an advertiser trying to get you to buy a product, they wait for you to buy one then try and shove something similar down your throat. If you are tired of receiving ads that know a little bit too much about you, I have some tips to avoid being a victim of advertising.

First and most importantly, clear your cookies. Picture a cookie as the personal record you had in grade school. One folder showing all you have done in your life. Now, picture that folder in the hands of someone trying to advertise a product to you. If they know everything you like it makes it much easier to coerce you into buying their product. On all internet browsers you can go to the setting menu and delete your cookies. Suddenly, it’s like a website has no idea who you are.

An alternative to clearing cookies is browse incognito. Incognito is a setting easily availablethrough most internet browsers. Incognito doesn’t track any information you enter, allowing you some secrecy online.

Another option has become popular in the last few years. Adblock is a software extension you can install in your internet browser that automatically filters ads on a page. Try installing it and going to a page you regularly visit. First, you will notice how clean the interface is compared to what it used to be. Second, with less clutter on the page you will be able to navigate the web more efficiently, saving you time.

Are all ads bad? No, ads on Facebook trying to sell you the newest acne cream for $49.99 probably might be. But a lot of online businesses can live or die by ads. Online newspapers get most of their revenue through ads and subscriptions. Blocking eyesore may be preferred but local ads in your community can really help. Even if you don’t click on an ad, the website makes a small amount based on web traffic and how many eye balls see it.