Strange how things popup.

[Col1948]

I've seen this a few times, for example only yesterday I was looking to buy satellite cable connectors, joining 2 cables together.
Since then I have been on a couple of sites nothing to do with this subject and got adverts for them, I've heard of this before where it is said somewhere what you look at is logged, seems it's right.
Like I said, I've seen this before, at first I thought it was a coincidence but after a few times I know it isn't.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Some phones and tablets keep track of your shopping habits, and browsing habits, than they tailor ads to you. I personally don't care for that type of invasion of privacy but it seems it's the price you pay for using certain devices, and some websites.

 

[PirateGirl]

It's not a coincidence but some computer programming. I can look at a product on my personal cell phone and have an ad for the same product pop up on my work computer the next day. It knows somehow the same person is using both devices and I hate it.

 

[Loopeend]

Oh, yeah. It is all over everything.
Please don't think 'A lot of single girls in your area want to talk to you!' is real..

There are ways around it. You have to install different browsers and even whole systems then the ones we have heard off. And they don't connect really well with social media. And they are made for free by IT people because they think it is important that privacy is important and this is not right. But unfortunately they can't be as easy to install and as bug-free then the big ones with money. Because they do it for free; and have a hard time to translate it to people that don't know much about computers. I studied IT and I even don't use them because I often don't understand them, well I do actually, but it's quite a lot of work and not an 'install' and everything just happens. You actually have to understand computers for it. A LOT.

I can reccommend some more simple things like an trustable add-blocker, and a browser that lets you 'go ingocnito'. And a tunnelbear time to time.

But I SOOOO miss the old days when a computer was just a computer. And internet just internet. And not unwanted connected to my whole life and phone. Make stuff in word an print it. No silly business from printers, no silly questions if I want it to store it in my cloud... and searching actual information on internet or keeping in touch with friends through e-mail, or getting to know people on basic forums, and not adds EVERYWHERE. I coudln't even find a decent scientific article about lab-grown-meat today; after 6 pages of 'news' that were blogs with adds about 'Lab-meat is the new thing for vegans!' 'Lab-meat, healthy or not?' 'lab-meat, is this the future, what do you think?' "lab-meat, are you manly enough to try it? This celebrity says so!'and "lab-meat is healthier, will we all be prettier in the future?!' I gave up. I really just wanted to read the research of these scientifics about their breakthrough in this field... I don't know if I am pro or con, probably con since I am pro-meat at this moment, how can I know and learn if I don't know the true whole story? I just also, what I think or not, found it an interesting breakthrough. It is the first time that meat is grown in labs. If you are against or for it; it is an interesting thing that man can do that now. BUT NOPE> I sitting here wishing for the time that we had paper encylopedias. And paper newspapers. Atleast in papers there was a neatly page of adds you could just skip, or read if you wanted to. But is was not like; 'Today in maintown an accident happenend and, (add) do you want cash for free, get a loan at tony's!, 3 people did not survive...

 

[Pork Pie]

It's not a coincidence but some computer programming. I can look at a product on my personal cell phone and have an ad for the same product pop up on my work computer the next day. It knows somehow the same person is using both devices and I hate it.

Yup, gotta be careful what you search for

 

[rosemarythyme]

Definitely not coincidence. If you want to minimize tracking when you're online you have to change your browser settings and some of your habits. I run adblock, I do not save history, passwords, cookies... I close my browser every time after I check for web email. I cannot get apps on my phone because it's not connected to any internet account. It's a hassle with certain sites like financial sites because I constantly need temporary passwords, and of course I'm constantly having to log back onto sites.

Is it worth the hassle? Well, I don't like ads (I still get some, but far fewer), I don't like going to news sites and having it suggest articles for me, or I don't want spam mail because some company thought I'd want to learn about a product just because I'd browsed a similar company's site, so for me, yes it is.

 

[Perris]

if you clear cookies and browsing history in your browser settings it should remove most if not all of the unwanted ads, but yes, this is how we become aware of the lack of privacy online. @Loopeend to find serious stuff try using google scholar, if it still exists. Or specify domain name as .edu, .ac.uk, .org., .net etc. in advanced search (anything but .com basically).

 

[Loopeend]

if you clear cookies and browsing history in your browser settings it should remove most if not all of the unwanted ads, but yes, this is how we become aware of the lack of privacy online. @Loopeend to find serious stuff try using google scholar, if it still exists. Or specify domain name as .edu, .ac.uk, .org., .net etc. in advanced search (anything but .com basically).

Thanks, I know how it works. I studied IT. I just gave up the battle... It's like mopping with the faucet still open. I did nothing on the internet as long as I could. Now the government, bank, etc. forced me to do anything online. They stopped sending letters. You 'just' have to check online. Not on your e-mail, no, one seperate thing for gas, electricity, rent, taxes, 3 mandatory insurances, renuwing your id, checking your work schedule, cheking when you have to go to school (or have an exam or homework, again 3 seperate things) etc. ALL with a different username and passwords. Which you can't change. And the bank-app om my phone does not use the same as om my pc and I have to make another one....Yeah SUPER handy. Please just send me letters. And I'm only 32. Imagine older people :O

If I get crazy by it at 32 with an IT degree...
You could get a keypassword-programm to remember all of your 1000 usernames and passwords...but also they are hackable... =/

 

[Col1948]

One time I went on Ebay and I forgot I was using my VPN (Virtual Private Network), then next I went on it I was blocked.
I ended up phoning Ebay and I got a woman on that said someone had used my Ebay account, I said yes it was me, I was on a VPN.
She had no idea what a VPN was and I had to go through a lot of personal questions before she believed me. then I had to change my password before I could use Ebay again.

Another annoying thing I've noticed lately is if say you are browsing a subject and you click on a link, you start to read the first few lines and then all of a sudden a big popup blocks your view, it wants you to register, I wonder how many actually do register to read the page.

 

[Col1948]

@Loopeend, I agree, If I do register to a new website, it asks for a username, so then I'm thinking what shall I use, I think of one, then it wants a password, so I think of one.
Then it says, you need at least one uppercase letter, so I change one of the letters, then it says you need to add at least one number, so I add a number, then it says you need to add a symbol +=/,.* so I add a symbol.
We have sent you an email, please confirm by clicking on the link in the email.
I go to my email, nothing there, so I wait then it pops up, I click on the link and it takes me to the website.
It asks me to login, I login then I get a message, username or password not correct!

I have book now where I write down all my usernames and passwords, some sites I haven't been on for a while so it comes in handy, having said that I've gone to a site and logged in only to get the message that my username and password is incorrect, I've had to send them a (Forgot my Password) message, then after I get a new one I get the opportunity to change it so I change it back to what it was before, what a pain.