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Rail forum Advertising

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ole man

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Is this forum linked to my search engine?

The adverts on this site are linked to what I've been searching for?.
I've only just noticed this
 
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RailUK Forums

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See now at the top of this thread I've got an advert for an internet browser, and on the thread about quiet coach/ noise one for earphones... I believe there is a link between the contents of the thread and the advert that is thus displayed above.
 

theblackwatch

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That's correct SS4. It also often picks up words from threads which it thinks may be relevant - though it isn't always successful!
 

SS4

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They do. They get more for clicks but the mods/admins are not allowed to say this [feel free to remove this if I'm making info public that I should not be]. I'm not an expert but iirc the ads are independent of the forums and RailUK sells ad space to google who put on their own ads from companies who pay them

ty. For the benefits of a certain member: solar panels
 

ole man

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Do you get paid?.
And i haven't got a Google account i just use Google chrome, so in layman terms how do i stop this?
 

SS4

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I'd switch to firefox if it's not unpalatable (last I checked google's privacy policy still doesn;t conform to EU standards). I don't use chrome so I'm not sure how but you should be able to remove cookies and change a setting so you're not tracked. Failing that there is always icognito at a push.
 

theblackwatch

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Why do you want to stop it? If the forum doesn't get any advertising revenue, then there it won't generate any funds to pay for the hosting etc.
 

SS4

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Why do you want to stop it? If the forum doesn't get any advertising revenue, then there it won't generate any funds to pay for the hosting etc.

I don't think the OP wants to stop the ads but rather stop the ads being linked to their search history
 

ole man

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The OP being me, doesn't like being spied on and followed, I'm not against advertising, that's how you get paid.
I've blocked them now, Google doesn't like you doing it though
 
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SS4

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The OP being me, doesn't like being spied on and followed, I'm not against advertising, that's how you get paid.
I've blocked them now, Google doesn't like you doing it though

Have you considered Chromium? It's like Chrome but open source. Not entirely sure what the difference is since us linux types aren't given chrome.
Bit in bold: That's how google manages to make its money. It can sell adverts at a higher price if they're targeted.
I take it you already have Adblock? You can always whitelist these forums

--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
You can opt-out of many of the the tracking cookies here:-

http://www.networkadvertising.org/managing/opt_out.asp

You will still get ads, but they won't be targeted on your google searches.

Thanks, I've taken advantage :D
 
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MarkyMarkD

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The OP being me, doesn't like being spied on and followed, I'm not against advertising, that's how you get paid.
I've blocked them now, Google doesn't like you doing it though
You're not being spied on and followed. Rather than being offered a random selection of (mainly irrelevant) ads, you are being offered things which might interest you based on your search history.

It's hard to see how that's a bad thing (unless your search history is a bit fruity ;))
 

ole man

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I've sorted it now thanks to both of you, got a picture of a cookie half eaten with a big red cross through it.

My search engine was erm not...fruity, it was for a new rucksack, good job really i suppose i never though of it like that.
Don't do your shopping on certain lets say saucy websites is the lesson
 

SS4

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You're not being spied on and followed. Rather than being offered a random selection of (mainly irrelevant) ads, you are being offered things which might interest you based on your search history.

It's hard to see how that's a bad thing (unless your search history is a bit fruity ;))

Exactly how do they know what to offer though? Fruity searches belong in incognito ;)
 

tony_mac

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It doesn't have to be fruity to be something you don't want to advertise to anyone that walks past!

e.g. It can be a bit embarrassing having to explain why I am getting ads for 'Railfest'!

(Non-targetted ads are more likely to be based on the page you are viewing, or generic stuff like Virgin media and Vodafone)
 

Schnellzug

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I've been getting Ads from East Coast rather often lately. *And now Thomson Holidays. What will come up next? It's rather interesting to see what does come up.

*Didsbury Cineworld! No, as far as I'm aware I've never been to didsbury, at least for long enough to want to go to the Cinema.
 

ralphchadkirk

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Was this matter not discussed in a thread not so very long ago. Was any EU legal conclusion reached and published with regard to that specific matter ?

I think the EU commented that it was unlawful, but as far as I know, no action has of now been taken.
 

Wyvern

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At one time I was getting lots of ads for towel rails and shower rails (rails you see). Since then Google has refined its system and there has just been a big change in the way it finds them (and the conditions that you tacitly accept when you use their facilities*)

There may be something extra which certain advertisers pay for. I looked up rat traps and bait the other week and almost every ad for days afterwards at the top of this site was for Wilkos and their rat poison. I dont think much else has had that sort of effect.

It may exclude any searches you do in naughty shops, but I wouldnt want to test it on an office or family computer.

*Footnote: Do you read all the way through all the conditions on every website that you use?
 

David

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I've just had an advert for East Coast as well ....

Anyway, a quick (and basic) explanation about how Google Adsense works for those who don't know.

When you create an ad slot for Google (IE, insert the code into your web page), the Adsense bot scans that page and attempts to place a relevent advert there. For example, a forum about computers and gaming will bring up a lot of adverts from hardware and software companies.

Most adverts are placed on a pay-per-click basis, although some are pay per view (usually 1000 views). If Google can't place a relevent advert, it wil attempt to place a generic advert there instead. Failing that, a public user messege (such as asking for donations to Oxfam) for which the forum will recieve no money from if it's clicked.

Google Adsense does not scan your browsing history in order to match adverts to you, but as I stated, scans the page for relevent keywords in order to match adverts to that particular page.
 

DaveNewcastle

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This morning I was surprised to see that my screen displayed an ad from a Company which employs someone on this forum, but someone who never mentions their employer on the forum, only in PMs.
I have no other on-line connection with that company. So I'm deducing that 'Private Messages' are scanned by the banner software in exactly the same way as any other content rendered in a browser window.
*Footnote: Do you read all the way through all the conditions on every website that you use?
'course not!
 

ralphchadkirk

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I imagine Google can scrape keywords from anywhere where the Adsense or Analytics javascript is placed, hence it being able to get PMs.
 

ole man

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There is also a member of this forum that works for a well known Rail magazine, hmm wonder if that magazine gets a advert
 

MidnightFlyer

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There is also a member of this forum that works for a well known Rail magazine, hmm wonder if that magazine gets a advert

I trust their professioinal work and outside work on places such as here are kept separate - indeed I have never seen an advert for the implied magazine on here.
 

ole man

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He doesn't seem to mention it on this site, so he retains a certain professionalism, though you do wonder if he passes on info to his magazine that he gets from here, correct or not
 

MidnightFlyer

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He doesn't seem to mention it on this site, so he retains a certain professionalism, though you do wonder if he passes on info to his magazine that he gets from here, correct or not

I would trust all work they submit to magazines would be confirmed or proofread first, I don't they trawl here and just say 'Yeah, that's good, that's going in'. They tend to work off history, personal observations, what official bodies say, and general news.
 
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