Google - filter adverts?

Idiophreak

I'm quite a google fanboy these days - I've an android phone, use google+ a little and use chrome on all my computers...as a result, I can share my history, bookmarks, photos etc wherever I log on - and it's really convenient.

However, there are certain aspects in which I feel google has become "a little too clever" - so as to become stupid.

My wife uses my home computer occasionally, which is fine - and it doesn't seem worth her logging out and on again just to do it....but then I wind up with women's underwear adverts (or "women in underwear", if you will ) all over my screen at work the next day...which isn't a great look...is there any way to choose what kind of adverts google show me - or do I really have to get her to browse incognito whenever she shops for that kinda stuff?

AlecEiffel

So far as I know, no. It is based on cookie data and analysis of browsing habits/what other ads you look at. Prob the best way is to have different profiles on the machine, one for you and one for her.

Elliott_Fox

Just add a plugin called adblock to chrome, then you will get no adverts at all! Also it isn't based on cookie data, if you sign into a google account while browsing then that is how google track you.

tronator

Idiophreak wrote: »

I'm quite a google fanboy these days - I've an android phone, use google+ a little and use chrome on all my computers...as a result, I can share my history, bookmarks, photos etc wherever I log on - and it's really convenient.

However, there are certain aspects in which I feel google has become "a little too clever" - so as to become stupid.

My wife uses my home computer occasionally, which is fine - and it doesn't seem worth her logging out and on again just to do it....but then I wind up with women's underwear adverts (or "women in underwear", if you will ) all over my screen at work the next day...which isn't a great look...is there any way to choose what kind of adverts google show me - or do I really have to get her to browse incognito whenever she shops for that kinda stuff?

Try Adblock+

https://adblockplus.org/en/chrome

That's the first thing I install with any browser...

Idiophreak

Elliott_Fox wrote: »

Just add a plugin called adblock to chrome, then you will get no adverts at all! Also it isn't based on cookie data, if you sign into a google account while browsing then that is how google track you.

Cool, thanks. It's kinda of a shame, because (call me weird), I actually don't mind having adverts in general - and I'll often click them for one reason or another...it's just dumb that google force you into an all or nothing situation.

AlecEiffel

Adblock works a treat. But you could annoy your employer installing it at work.

Lum

I've yet to hear of an employer getting annoyed by adblock, it reduces their bandwidth bill and removes a potential vector for malware/spyware.

However the correct answer to this is to sign out of your google account before someone else uses your computer.

Other options would be for the two of you to have separate Windows accounts so you don't have to remember to sign out, or to use different browsers.

Knarf44

<p>You could always use the "Iron" version of Chrome.</p>

Idiophreak

Lum wrote: »

Other options would be for the two of you to have separate Windows accounts so you don't have to remember to sign out, or to use different browsers.

Yeah, we have separate accounts on the PCs anyway - and if we're going to be using facebook and stuff that needs a login we'll switch for convenience. It just sucks that simply using the internet is becoming one of those things...really feels like a step backwards.

malcumms7898

Yes it is just based on what you have been looking at so either get her to use her own account, use adblock, or look at other things before going to work to counteract the underwear adverts.

The really stupid thing about Google ads is they will show you adverts for websites you have recently visited. So if you go the Zavvi for example it will then show you adverts for Zavvi 5 minutes later. If I have already been there of my own free will surely that is just preaching to the converted so to speak?

I have even encountered Google showing me adverts for the exact product I was just looking at on a particular retailer a few minutes earlier. Waste of time Google, I already know about it.

I don't really understand how they manage to make any money using this technique. It is like somebody standing outside McDonalds as you are leaving handing out leaflets saying, "Hey, have you heard about this fast food restaurant called McDonalds?"

Idiophreak

malcumms7898 wrote: »

I don't really understand how they manage to make any money using this technique. It is like somebody standing outside McDonalds as you are leaving handing out leaflets saying, "Hey, have you heard about this fast food restaurant called McDonalds?"

Yeah, quite agree...I can see the value a couple of days later, when I go "oh yeah...I was going to buy..." and go back for it...but 5 minutes later? I'm not *that* forgetful