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Google Chrome pushes ahead with targeted ads based on your browser history (www.theregister.com)
submitted 3 years ago by to c/technology@lemmy.world
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Google enables advertisers a look into your browsing history...

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[+] -105 points 3 years ago* (last edited 3 years ago) (16 children)

This is how the internet has worked since forever. At least for Chrome it's opt-in, and they're very clear about what is shared.

Edit: apparently it's only opt-in in Europe so I offer my condolences

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  • [–] 73 points 3 years ago (10 children)

    It's not opt-in. These settings are automatically set to be turned on unless you intentionally turn them off. So they're opt-out by definition.

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  • [–] 17 points 3 years ago* (1 child)

    On android i got asked if i wanna turn it on upon opening chrome, but since they call it "ad privacy" I can see a lot of people thinking it's a good thing when in reality it just makes it easier for ads to track you without needing your cookie consent. I do remember though on windows it was a "Hey it's on now, go to the settings to turn it back off" kind of message

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  • [–] 7 points 3 years ago*

    That latter message is exactly what I got on Chrome on my work computer. It said something akin to "Ad privacy is turned on. Go here to edit the settings!" and then you go look and they're all set to be enabled. I had to turn them all off.

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  • [–] 0 points 3 years ago (7 children)

    It is most definitely opt-in for me. It popped up and said "would you like to enable this?", explaining what would be shared and why. It was not enabled automatically. That's opt-in if you ask me.

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  • [–] 3 points 3 years ago

    I've been getting it on and off for a couple of weeks and that's my experience too.. you get a 'we want to enable this exciting new feature' and you click no. They'll ask again.. which may push me to use firefox more.

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  • [–] 1 point 3 years ago* (5 children)

    I got the pop-up on desktop chrome yesterday and I had to intentionally go to the settings and turn them off.

    Maybe it's different on mobile chrome? I don't know but it was absolutely opt-out on desktop.

    I use Firefox as my main browser but work requires I use chrome for some stupid bullshit. Otherwise I wouldn't touch the browser at all.

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  • [–] 1 point 3 years ago (3 children)

    I think they are confusing the terms opt-in and opt-out. It is opt-out with a pop up that notifies you to review the changes.

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  • [–] 1 point 3 years ago (2 children)

    No... It pops up and asks you very clearly if you want to enable it. It also shows what it is, what's being tracked, and who the information is shared with.

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  • [–] 1 point 3 years ago* (1 child)

    I'll have to take a look later but I specifically remember the options being auto selected. So you have to go to the options and uncheck them when that pop up comes up. That would be saying the default option would be for it to be on. So you would have to opt out of the changes. Opt in would be default option set to off.

    Were you on a computer, or a phone. Also are you in Europe? I have seen some users say that in the U.S. it is checked by default (where I am at) and some users in Europe claim it is unchecked by default there.

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  • [–] 2 points 3 years ago

    I have been on multiple computers. It hasn't asked me on my phone.

    I'm in Europe so it makes sense they can't just enable it. We also don't have Threads yet, for example.

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  • [–] 11 points 3 years ago (2 children)

    I doubt this "opt-in" would replace the already existing tracking. It being opt-in is pointless since at very best it doesn't change anything.

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  • [–] 9 points 3 years ago (1 child)

    It's opt-out. It's on by default in Chrome as they claim it is the safest option, and you have to turn it off so it stops sending some data to Google. I think only in Europe it's opt-in, because only Europe enforces their citizens rights to not have their privacy raped by US companies in the name of security.

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