As an internet user, retargeting is honestly one of my #1 targets. I find it super-creepy that some websites show me things based on other websites I visit, and I want a way to stop it.
The next website you go to that has an ad slot, when the ad call is made, your anonymized information is submitted, and if the advertiser wins the bid, the advertiser shows you ads of fridges, because the advertiser remembers that cookie ID 12412214 is a FridgeLover.
It's anonymous (though significant efforts can be expended for less anonymity). And most importantly, it helps users recall products they've seen.
It is relevant to the user (fun bits: buy retargeted ads on competitor sites!)
Edit: I do believe the user should have more control over what companies are allowed to retarget with an easy opt out mechanism implemented by every ad network as well as a way to limit the frequency. I've experience companies going WAY overboard on their retargeting and it feels stalker-ish.
Apart from the creepiness, it also helps me mentally compartmentalize and context-switch better, when the ads on a site are relevant to the site, rather than to some other site I may have visited in the past which is not what I'm currently trying to concentrate on. Now maybe that's the point: to throw me off my current train of thought by reminding me of some previous train of thought. I was previously planning a trip, but now I'm trying to research something else and trying not to think about that trip I have to plan, so I can get something else done in the next hour. But the advertiser thinks maybe reminding me of that trip would be a good idea, which is maybe even statistically justified, because I do have to plan it in the next week, and a significant amount of money will be spent. But that's so mentally invasive that it's what will probably drive me to finally install AdBlock.
It's like having your own personal Troll Clippy following you around whispering "oh interesting research, but remember that trip you have to plan? LOL I knew you would!" To get things done in a modern workplace that has pervasive use of the internet and pervasive distractions, you have to block out things that are relevant to your interests but not to the current task. And retargeting does not help with that.
In my experience, retargeting ads produce higher CTRs than generic ads. This means that a publisher is able to derive 2-10x more revenue from the same ad space if they used retargeting ads instead of contextual ads.
I agree that some level of self-regulation is in order. Users should have a way to control the level of retargeting they experience and from whom, but to remove the entire mechanism that enables retargeting will only hurt the web because ROI on ad dollars will be lower. Lower ROI = less being spent on online advertising. Less spent on ads = less revenue for publishers. Less revenue for publishers = less investment from publisher to drive more revenue, which will likely mean lower quantity and quality of content created.
If you could make all the ads I saw on TV perfectly relevant, I would still fast forward. Because I would like to get back to the show, OK?
I dug a bit further, and also found this: http://www.aboutads.info/choices/ which purports to allow you to opt out from any or all of the participating companies from that page.
[1]: http://www.aboutads.info/participating [2]: http://www.aboutads.info/sites/default/files/page_img/icon_e...
Yes. For instance, I don't mind seeing pizza commercials because I don't like cheese.
This is far from being on video. And a lot of places have cameras now in addition to people with phones and maybe Google Glass in the future?
Something like RequestPolicy allows the user to opt out of everything.
It's more correct to say that the ways to opt out are esoteric.
Self-governance does not work when the power of technology is asymmetric. Whether it's cookies, spam or nuclear weapons, deterrence is the only effective solution.
I'm looking at you, Amazon banner ads that feature products I browsed recently. (This is lots of fun because I often use Amazon solely to get info on a product that I may have no intention at all of purchasing.)
I was visiting those items because I was linked to them due to people posting funny comments on the items, I have absolutely no interest in them.
Although, at some level I do find the way that Amazon does their targeting can be fairly accurate.