The amount of companies tracking you on the web is disgusting.

[Laeryn]

on MMO Champion alone Ghostery (An addon that blocks tracking.. highly recommended) has blocked 9 different things. wtf? I just installed Ghostery last night, and after an evening of browsing today it's blocked a total of 1513 tracking attempts................

My average use of the web:

Amazon & Thinkgeek, buy cool stuff.
Read sites like MMO Champion, PC Gamer, techradair, etc.

What is the purpose of all these companies tracking you? And all of these cookies keeping track of websites you visit..People at these companies must be really interested on what gizmo I'm getting on Thinkgeek. OMG HE GOT A STAR TREK ENTERPRISE PIZZA CUTTER O!@JM$! $

To give a real life comparison, I feel like there's people in lab coats following me around in the shadows taking notes on what kind of coffee I'm getting at the cafe outside the train station before work, ffs.

[Archangel Tyrael]

better delete all of those Nazi videos I've been downloading lately.

[alturic]

on MMO Champion alone Ghostery (An addon that blocks tracking.. highly recommended) has blocked 9 different things. wtf? I just installed Ghostery last night, and after an evening of browsing today it's blocked a total of 1513 tracking attempts................

My average use of the web:

Amazon & Thinkgeek, buy cool stuff.
Read sites like MMO Champion, PC Gamer, techradair, etc.

What is the purpose of all these companies tracking you? And all of these cookies keeping track of websites you visit..People at these companies must be really interested on what gizmo I'm getting on Thinkgeek. OMG HE GOT A STAR TREK ENTERPRISE PIZZA CUTTER O!@JM$! $

To give a real life comparison, I feel like there's people in lab coats following me around in the shadows taking notes on what kind of coffee I'm getting at the cafe outside the train station before work, ffs.

The PURPOSE, is so they can "better serve you ads" that pertain to you. I never realized how insanely priced advertising was until we launch our company. Needless to say, think about it... would you rather pay for a blanket advertising campaign (depending on your product, possibly worth it) or would you rather target someone who apparently shopped for a pizza cutter, meaning you must eat pizza. If you drink columbian dark roast extra strong coffee why would someone who's selling french light roast sweet coffee want to target you?

As you can tell I don't drink coffee, but you see my point?

THAT is why people track you.

Hell, our website sells a service and we put a cookie on your computer for remarketing.

[Asaya]

To give a real life comparison, I feel like there's people in lab coats following me around in the shadows taking notes on what kind of coffee I'm getting at the cafe outside the train station before work, ffs.

I don't think anyone processes individual information on a personal level. A scientists time would be better spent on other things than stalking. As for general information, I'm cool with it. It doesn't bother me if a company knows my browsing habbits.
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The PURPOSE, is so they can "better serve you ads" that pertain to you. I never realized how insanely priced advertising was until we launch our company.

Could you humor me and tell me ball park prices? I'm just curious for curious sake.

[Grym]

Most people now use some sort of ad block and noscripts, so we don't see any ads anyway, so they are pretty pointless on me