Doing a bit of research and reading an (online) article titled “How Russia Pulled off the Biggest Election Hack in US History”, I am served an ad for Bonobos. Quantcast, server of the ad, mistakes me for someone who may be interested in ugly clothing at outrageous prices. But I clicked through any way. Being curious, I clicked on the Ad Choices icon (like any normal person would do) to learn more about the Ad and why it chose me. The usual “we’re doing you a favor by serving you relevant interest based ads…” spiel also includes a Privacy Policy. So I clicked on it (like any normal person would do). Buried in approximately 2304 words was this beauty:
“Please be aware that no method of transmitting information over the Internet or storing information is completely secure. Your PII (personally identifiable information) may be transferred to, and maintained on, computers located outside of your state, province, country (etc.), where the privacy laws may not be as protective as those in your jurisdiction. If you are located outside the United States and choose to provide information to Quantcast. Your consent to this Privacy Policy, followed by your submission of such information, represents your agreement to that transfer.”
My Consent? My Submission of such information? I don’t recall consenting to or submitting anything. Maybe I’m suffering from amnesia? What the hell am I doing here? What’s my name again? Why am I sitting at a computer typing?
The option from here to click on “youradchoices.com” is too tempting and I do so (like any normal person would do). Here I discover the Digital Advertising Alliance page; a beacon of hope and clarity.. privacy salvation. Maybe they will provide some clothing for this victim of Virtual Voyeurism! But alas – lots and lots of WORDS. The American Association of Advertising Agencies, The American Advertising Federation, The Association of National Advertisers, The Better Business Bureau, the “DMA”, the Interactive Advertising Bureau and the Network Advertising Initiative make up the consortium for self-regulatory solutions that is the DAA – here to enforce responsible privacy practices. Who needs Laws when we have Self-Regulation?
I’m given 2 choices: “Learn” or “Control”. I’ve come this far. Is it the Yellow Brick Road or a Rabbit Hole? I need to know. Being endlessly curious. I choose “Learn” first. The problem I quickly discover, is that I want to do something other than this before I die, and “Learn” really means – keep reading, keep clicking, keep reading some more, keep clicking, keep reading…until you eventually grow old and become a dusty skeleton forever contemplating the next entry at your computer terminal.
With each click on this page, a sense of great anger builds steadily. What is AdChoices? Click “here” to Learn More. What happens when you click the icon? Click “here” to Learn More. Where do you find the icon? Click “here” to Learn More. Does your AdChoice block ads? (you would think so – it’s why I’m here in the first place). Click “here” to Learn More. The answer is “No”. What’s behind your AdChoices icon? There’s something behind it? What do the DAA principles cover? Which companies participate? Click “here” to Learn More. How do relevant ads improve my digital experience? How do relevant ads work? Click “here” to Learn More. Who’s participating in the your AdChoices program? Isn’t this the same as “Which companies participate?”. Click “here” to Learn More. Sorry, did I say I wanted to Learn More? Where’s the water boarding option? Can I do that instead??
OK so I finally cry “Uncle” and click “Control”, hoping to put an end to all this. But you can’t fool me – I know that I’m going to have just as much “control” over this BS shell game as a Goldfish has control of the bowl he’s in. YES! Finally… “Your AdChoices Gives you Control”…it tells me right there in black and white! But again, not so fast… I do have to weigh some options; either download the AdChoices for Apps, or AdChoices for the Web. Let’s start with Web.
I’m sent to the Consumer Choice page where I’m told that ONLY 127 companies that participate in AdChoices reported status information on my browser (stalk me). Well, that’s a relief…. Wait! – ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY SEVEN? What about the ones that don’t participate?! I decide to opt out of them ALL and “Submit my Choices”. Two things are noted at the bottom of the page that keep me wondering when the next “interest based ad” is going to haunt me:
- These opt outs apply to interest-based advertising and other applicable uses of Web viewing data by the DAA’s participating companies. You will still receive other types of online advertising from participating companies, and these companies (and the Web sites you visit) may still collect information for other purposes.
- The opt out choices you select are stored in opt out cookies only in this browser, so you should separately set your preferences for other browsers or computers you may use. Deleting browser cookies can remove your opt out preferences, so you should visit this page periodically to review your preferences, or update to include new participating companies.
So,
A) This only temporarily blocked some of the players and
B) I’d have to go through this rigmarole for every browser on every device.
How convenient. Thanks DAA! You ROCK!!
I can also click to get more information on those “companies customizing ads for my browser”. So I Click on “Quantcast” (like any normal person would do). Interestingly, they “remain the only syndicated traffic measurement solution to have received Media Ratings Council accreditation with IAB measures and standards.” That’s good, I gues.
And FINALLY, the last click of them all, to learn EVEN MORE about “how we collect and use information for online advertising, please visit www.quantcast.com/privacy and Voila!! – back to the very page that the AdChoices icon took me too in the first place. “We’re doing you a favor by serving you relevant interest based ads…….
