Category Archives: Google

Today’s Privacyfix: Clean out your YouTube watch history

Posted on April 16, 2013 by Jim Brock

Did you realize that YouTube keeps a history of the videos that you’ve viewed, whether on YouTube.com or when embedded across the web? Having that history can be convenient to re-find something you’ve already seen. Your history can also help … Continue reading →

Posted in Folks, Google, Privacyfix | Leave a comment

Today’s Privacyfix: Meet the Google Settings app for Android

Posted on April 5, 2013 by Jim Brock

Android users, if you haven’t already met the “Google Settings” app on your phone or tablet, I’d like to introduce you now. This is not something you’ll find in Google Play — instead, it’s something that Google bundles in with … Continue reading →

Posted in Android, Folks, Google, Pros | Leave a comment

Introducing Privacyfix: Now it’s up to you.

Posted on October 9, 2012 by Jim Brock

At least 1,200 companies now profile what you do across websites for ads and marketing. Social networks have managed to plant widgets everywhere that collect data about what you read and where you go. Anybody can target ads to you … Continue reading →

Posted in Facebook, Folks, Google, Privacyfix, Pros | 12 Comments

Do Not Track arrives for mobile apps, courtesy of Apple and Google (really)

Posted on September 27, 2012 by Jim Brock

Google’s ad network for mobile apps, Admob, released their new development tools for the latest Apple mobile operating system, iOS6. This is the kit that mobile application developers use to integrate AdMob advertising into their iPhone and iPad apps. In … Continue reading →

Posted in Apple, Do Not Track, Folks, Google, mobile, Pros | 1 Comment

Android beats iOS when it comes to privacy disclosure

Posted on July 23, 2012 by Jim Brock

I’m a couple of days in to using the new Google Nexus as my main tablet device, and I have been struck by how Android does a much better job than Apple iOS when it comes to privacy disclosure. Most … Continue reading →

Posted in Google, mobile, Pros | Leave a comment

How does Facebook define “sensitive” boundaries for ad targeting?

Posted on March 6, 2012 by Jim Brock

This blog is full of posts about the boundaries of ad targeting — what kind of use profile data is and should be considered “off limits” for online marketing. Across major ad companies and industry organizations you’ll find important differences … Continue reading →

Posted in Best Practices, Facebook, Folks, Google, NAI, Pros, Self-Regulation | 1 Comment

Concerned about ad-tracking on your smartphone browser?

Posted on February 17, 2012 by Jim Brock

If you are concerned about recent reports of unexpected tracking by Google on mobile Safari, check out the PrivacyChoice mobile opt-out page on your smartphone: Opt-out here http://privacychoice.org/mobile/optout This mobile-ready page gathers and executes opt-outs for a handful of popular … Continue reading →

Posted in Folks, Google, Opt Out Cookies | Leave a comment

Yet another (better) definition of sensitive boundaries for ad targeting

Posted on December 14, 2011 by Jim Brock

The concept of “sensitive” categories pervades the policy structures governing online ad targeting; there is a sense that certain online activities are “out of bounds” when it comes to behavioral advertising. Both the Network Advertising Initiative and the Digital Advertising … Continue reading →

Posted in Best Practices, DAA, Google, NAI, Pros, Self-Regulation | 5 Comments

Reconstructing Do-Not-Track

Posted on February 8, 2011 by Jim Brock

The major browser makers have now proposed three very different approaches to give users control over online tracking. Microsoft IE9‘s “Tracking Protection Lists” provide direct blocking of tracking interactions based on lists curated and hosted by independent companies. Mozilla’s Firefox gives … Continue reading →

Posted in Best Practices, DAA, Do Not Track, Firefox, Google, Microsoft, Pros | 5 Comments

Keep MORE Opt Outs

Posted on January 31, 2011 by Jim Brock

Among the recent “do not track” announcements by browser-makers Microsoft, Mozilla and Google, the approach taken by Google showed the least imagination and effort in the cause of consumer choice. Rather than enable simple global choices (like Mozilla), or make … Continue reading →

Posted in Do Not Track, Folks, Google, Opt Out Cookies, Pros | Leave a comment