Ads being auto-generated when not logging in

[Silicon Waffle]

When I visit the site and open any thread, I always see ads embedded in a few posts at the top of the thread. They look like being taken from pages I have visited. So they are localized based on my IP address I use to visit the site - PF. But I don't know how google(?) does that.

 

[Borek]

Some combination of cookies and IP most likely.

 

[Suraj M]

Yeah, I've noticed it too.There are plenty in the app also.

But I don't know how google(?) does that.

Google?

 

[Doug Huffman]

Yes, G00gle AdSense and Analytics tracking cookies are sent and interrogated, also VigLink.

 

[Suraj M]

cookies are sent and interrogated,

what does that mean?

 

[Doug Huffman]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AdSense https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Analytics I am a sustaining contributor to The Wikimedia Foundation

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

They're called interest based ads and pretty much any time you look at a product via an online store you'll be targeted for that product or similar products elsewhere on the web. I find it pretty amazing and creepy at the same time.

 

[Borek]

I find it pretty amazing and creepy at the same time.

I find it pretty idiotic. I bought a new SDD drive few weeks ago and I am still being served the same SDD related ads.

 

[Raghav Gupta]

Well I do not have any problem with that ads as soon as I am logged in.
But I think it would be better for PF to grow ( members ), if that ads are removed for people not logged in.
That ads take some space in posts and are bit disturbing when reading posts.

 

[Borek]

Lack of ads is a perk for those registered.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

But I think it would be better for PF to grow ( members ), if that ads are removed for people not logged in.

You speak the truth, but PF has big costs.

 

[Raghav Gupta]

but PF has big costs.

I don't know the marketing,
But does ads generate revenue for PF, does that you mean?

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

I don't know the marketing,
But does ads generate revenue for PF, does that you mean?

That is correct

 

[Raghav Gupta]

Then that's okay. Does having new members also generate revenue in small amount apart from fame?

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Then that's okay.

Trust me, I despise ads myself and even the current orientation, but I've tried many different options and the current setup is the only one that is worthwhile. I'm afraid there is little money to generate from technical science content.

Does having new members also generate revenue in small amount apart from fame?

Only in that new members may generate new content which ads are placed on. Or if they upgrade to Gold, which is not that common.

 

[Raghav Gupta]

Thanks for explaining some marketing.
As you'll see I am not a gold member. That is because I am a kid and I don't like spending my father's amount.
I will most probably contribute to PF by becoming a gold member when I will get into a job as PF has taught me a lot.
I am not kidding.

 

[mfb]

But does ads generate revenue for PF, does that you mean?

That is the only purpose of ads on websites. No one likes them, but they give money, and you need money to run websites. There are alternative funding concepts but those don't work so well for internet forums.

 

[Doug Huffman]

As of 2014, some websites were setting cookies readable for over 100 third-party domains. Examples at
http://webcookies.org/third-party-cookies/

"Purpose of ads on websites" may be more than revenue. Their images hide web bugs such as zero dimension pixels than can contain pretty much whatever the scammer desires.

 

[Silicon Waffle]

Thank you everyone for sharing your ideas,
I didn't ask about the other beneficial side of ads, I only meant to know the technologies used to generate the ads and how they read cookie files in our computers.

 

[DaveC426913]

I find it pretty idiotic. I bought a new SDD drive few weeks ago and I am still being served the same SDD related ads.

The logic may be idiotic but it is irrefutable. You are an extant purchaser of SDD drives (and you read about them online). Despite having just bought one, you are still far more likely to read about them or purchase another one in the future than, say, me. Or most anyone else here, statistically speaking.

 

[Nugatory]

I didn't ask about the other beneficial side of ads, I only meant to know the technologies used to generate the ads and how they read cookie files in our computers.

Reading cookie files is fairly straightforward - it's part of the HTTP protocol specification. When you fetch content from a web site, the protocol allows the server to send cookies along with content you've requested, and whenever you return to a website your browser sends up any cookies previously received from that site. The wikipedia article at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTTP_cookie is pretty good (but do read the archived talk pages too).

The fun/surprising/startling/scary thing is how much can be done with this mechanism... It's more than the inventors ever anticipated.

 

[DaveC426913]

You can turn off your cookies in your browser, but the Webernets might become busticated.

 

[Nugatory]

You can turn off your cookies in your browser, but the Webernets might become busticated.

For those people following this thread who are not specialists in this area... "Busticated" is scientific technical engineering terminology, used by professionals when performing an impact analysis of the consequences of disabling a mechanism that is normally required for the correct functioning of the system.

 

[Suraj M]

. That is because I am a kid and I don't like spending my father's amount.

I didn't actually spend my fathers money for my gold membership, there are other ways of contributing to PF, without actually spending money!

 

[Psinter]

I find it pretty idiotic. I bought a new SDD drive few weeks ago and I am still being served the same SDD related ads.

Haha, I spew my water.

But the algorithms behind it must be amazing nonetheless (just as Greg said). And creepy when we see the speed at which we are analyzed. Ebay still serves me some copper tubing I watched ages ago (and I didn't even bought them).

But I don't know how google(?) does that.

They publish some of their research on journals. Although I have never read one. Maybe you can search for it.