Question

Do you feel that targeted ads (advertisements based upon the collected data from web searches and social media posts) are a violation of consumer privacy? Why or why not?

Answer 1

I think these targeted ads are a violation of consumer privacy. This is a violation of consumer's privacy because consumers may not be willing to get all their online activities tracked and be profiled on the basis of online activities. Advertisers profile consumers on the basis of their online behavior (searches, social media posts, etc.) In most instances, the consent of the consumers is not taken while tracking their online activities. Even if the consent is taken, the terms are so full of jargons and technical details that consumers may not know the repercussions. If a consumer clearly understands how advertisers and marketers are using their online data to create targets ads and marketing plans, consumers may not be willing to get their online activities tracked at all. Therefore, I think targeted ads is a clear misuse of consumer data by the Internet companies and advertisers.