Despite all the hoopla in D.C. about protecting consumer online privacy, there’s this from the Wall Street Journal:
Online Tracking Ramps Up
Popularity of User-Tailored Advertising Fuels Data Gathering on Browsing Habits
Online tracking on 50 of the most-visited websites has risen sharply since 2010, driven in part by the rise of online-advertising auctions, according to a new study by data-management company Krux Digital Inc.
The average visit to a Web page triggered 56 instances of data collection, up from just 10 instances when Krux conducted its initial study, in November 2010. The latest study was conducted last December.
As the Journal piece points out, the online-advertising business now totals $31 billion – with a bullet. Which has led to online auctions “where advertisers buy data about users’ Web browsing. Krux estimated that such auctions, known as real-time bidding exchanges, contribute to 40% of online data collection.”
Helpful graphic here:
Troubling quote here:
“We’ve moved from a traditional advertising model of buying 1,000 impressions. Now you evaluate and buy a single impression.”
P.S. That means you!
Originally posted at the in restauro Sneak ADtack!
Campaign Outsider 
We now regularly get related spam the second day after looking at something online.
Surprised it takes that long.
Me, too. But it’s the second day — been that way for a few months. Must be the turnaround time.
What’s scary is that it’s anything we’ve looked at online, not just stuff we may actually be interested in.
It’s the spaghetti approach – throw pixels at everything, see what sticks.
What about the other side of the argument? At least you’re getting spammed by offers that are somewhat relevant to the daily grind. It’s nowhere near perfect, but isn’t that kinda a good thing?