Google News are sneaky
As many do I suppose, I check Google News once a day or so. It’s not my favourite news source, as I have a long list of news and newspaper sites I check most days, but it covers a lot of territory.
However, in the last few days, I have noticed something that is really starting to irk me about Google News. Well, not just irk really. More like annoy me greatly. It is something that proves that Google is purely an advertising company and nothing else and that they are becoming increasingly aggressive.
Let me start at the beginning of this nasty little story of how the sneaky bots used my clearly not so private data.
About three weeks ago, I was surfing the Net looking for a possible new car to buy. I stumbled upon the new Mazda 3, and did some searches for reviews and prices. Perhaps I looked at around 10 sites. Satisfied with what I had discovered, I left it at that. Maybe I’ll buy a new car next year.
But in the last week, every single day, my Google News page has had at least two, and usually three or four stories about Mazda 3’s. Never can I remember car stories and reviews on my Google News feed. And never can I recall Google News targeting my Google Searches. But it’s clear that they have now.
I am not dumb and know that by connecting to the Internet one is open to being tracked. But for Google to use their news page to bombard me with clearly targeted ‘news’ items that are in fact ‘hard sell’ advertising is taking liberties just a little too far.
Where will all this insane Internet tracking end? With ‘just in time’ advertising for funeral directors for my family when I digitally draw my last breath?
Manipulating my news feed for a disgusting attempt at a profit is a step too far for me. And as for Mazda? Well, Mazda must have bought this disgustingly intrusive new Google advertising product, so I say to them, I’m buying a Toyota!
Derek. I was so sick of ads from Google. I once searched You Tube for Sparky and the Magic Piano and the next day Google kept asking me if I was looking for an electrician! I downloaded Ad Block. I never get ads from them now. It’s free but they ask if you can donate something. It really works. Of course this probably doesn’t stop the spying – you just don’t hear about it.
I must admit to being a bit two-faced with this Barbara. As you can see that I carry Google advertising on my blog to help cover my hosting costs. So I can’t plead totally innocent to advertising. But I do draw a line at infiltrating my news feed. It looks like I might have to change my advertising platform now, for one that is far less intrusive.
I get what you mean. However, I have to say, I can’t see any ads on your blog! Yes though, ads in your news feed is very cheeky. Good blog and I do enjoy your tweets. Good luck.
what you do is start clicking on news stories that you enjoy… like instead of getting pop ups for ferret food, and pop tarts now Google sends me: “quote of the day” ~ or “sociological triggers in a digital social setting” you know, stuff i can use… i have enough pop tarts… so i have crafted a new narrative…
Derek, your last line left me in stitches. Looks like Toyota sold another car. LOL