SocraticGadfly: Defeat Google’s Big Brother ad targeting

July 01, 2008

Defeat Google’s Big Brother ad targeting

Google wants to target ads at you based on your previous search history. Given Google’s partnership with Yahoo, using Yahoo for searches may not be an answer.

I suppose you could use Jeeves or something, but here’s the snarkier idea.

Once every day, throw some HUGE outlier into your searches. (Warning: Try this only at home, not on an office computer.)

For example, look for “gay Albanian porn.” Or “Betty Crocker” + “John F. Kennedy” + “secret relationship.”

You get the idea.

Once a day, drive Google crazy.

Note: I actually searched for “gay Albanian porn” after starting this post and got five hits!

Or, here’s another twist. Do a normal Google search, but add the words “Sergey Brin” in front of it.

That said, should Google ever disappear this blog, Blogger being a Google-owned product, look for me at socraticgadfly.wordpress.com or something.

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