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Google gets its way, bakes a user-tracking ad platform directly into Chrome (arstechnica.com)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Google gets its way, bakes a user-tracking ad platform directly into Chrome::Chrome now directly tracks users, generates a "topic" list it shares with advertisers.

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[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

The article mentioned Apple implementing ad blocking which affected Google's revenue, but I think the author forgot extensions. I had read that adblockers were eating into Google's revenue at an alarming rate.

So first adblocks were compromised (was it Adblock or Adblock Pro that had that whitelisting controversy?). When that didn't work, they took advantage of quicklinking/tracking people through Google AMP links, which also allowed advantages to be given to Facebook ad bidding (Jedi Blue - a "mindtrick" these assholes named it) and getting access to Android and Chrome users information in exchange for not setting up a competing ad service plan/ecosystem. And now we're here, with Google disabling extensions altogether and just straight up tracking you directly in Chrome.

Adblocking really, really screwed them over. On one hand good, on the other fuck Google.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 1 year ago

Part of the issue is that ads are an escalating infection. Anytime a platform tries to implement 'sane' advertising practices (small footprint, no annoying sounds or motion, etc) it inevitably creeps into more and more abusive interactions with users. Just look at how bad YouTube has gotten. Look at how far Google search has fallen. Ads are like crack. You can't just do it a little bit. You get hooked and you keep escalating until you've ruined everything with it.