Last month, Google initiated what it calls interest-based advertising, or behavioral targeting to the rest of us. If this concerns you, find out what you can do.
There are over 30 Internet companies, including Yahoo and Microsoft, currently using behavioral targeting technology.
That may seem significant. It’s not though, now that Google–arguably the most popular search engine–has committed to using behavioral targeting.
I’ve a vested affinity in the subject, having written several articles about Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) and Behavioral Targeting (BT) over the last few months.
Not surprisingly, what interested me the most were the frank and enlightened responses from the members.
When it comes to BT, it seems we’re hopeful, confused, and concerned all at the same time. I’d like address that, share my thoughts about what’s happening, and explain what options are available to us.
Google is about money
First and foremost, it’s paramount to understand that Google is a business and businesses are about making money.
In an interview with American jounralist and TV host Charlie Rose, Google CEO Eric Schmidt alluded to a new revenue stream that would be a win-win situation for Google and those who use Google’s services. Although behavioral targeting wasn’t specifically mentioned, connecting the dots was simple.
