Business & Real Estate

Posts Tagged ‘yahoo’

More intrusive tracking comes from what is known in the business as trace files “of others.” They work as follows: the first time a user visits a site, it installs a trace file, which assigns the computer a unique identification number. Then when the user visits another site associated with tracking the same company, can take note of where that user was and where it is now. Thus, over time, the company can build a more complete profile.

One such ecosystem is the network of Yahoo Inc. ads which gets payments by placing targeted ads to specific users on their websites. The network of Yahoo Cate knows a lot about Reid, who has just graduated from high school. You know it’s a woman between 13 and 18 years who are interested in weight loss issues. Reid was able to confirm that when a reporter showed her a little known feature in the Yahoo site, the Interest Ad Manager, which displays some of the information that Yahoo has collected on it.

Yahoo information on Reid, who at that time was 17, hit home: the girl was concerned that possibly was overweight and often has done research about diets.

Each time you hit the Internet, says, you see signs of weight loss. “I’m self conscious about my weight,” says Reid, whose father asked not to reveal the city where he resides. “I try not to think about it … but the ads make me think about it.” Read the rest of this entry »