Targeted ads are nothing new to Google, but they're about to get a lot more personal. Here's how you can make sure that the ads you do see aren't based on your personal searches. An example of Shared Endorsements in a Google display ad. (Credit: Google) Google might be the king of online ads, but they do give you a way to limit how some of your data can be used to sell you things you don't need. With its new Shared Endorsements coming on November 11, your Google+ user name, profile photo, and implied endorsements via comments and +1's will be used by Google to help make ads more personal. Short of an ad-blocker, there's not much you can do to avoid ads completely. But Google does provide a few controls for restricting how much of your online behavior shows up in ads. The checkbox for opting out of Google's Shared Endorsements. (Credit: Screenshot by Seth Rosenblatt/CNET) Shared Endorsements To keep your user name, profile pic, and implied endorsements out of the Shared Endorsements ad system, log in to your Google account and go to the Shared Endorsements settings page. Then scroll to the bottom, and make sure that the checkbox for "Based upon my activity, Google may show my name and profile photo in shared endorsements that appear in ads" is unchecked. Hit Save to lock in the change. It's important to note that this does not affect the non-ad use of your endorsements, which is when it uses a recommendation you share to promote an item, such as an MP3 in the Google Play Music store, without any money changing hands for the promotion. Before opting out of interest-based ads, you must individually delete your interests from Google's ad settings. When you mouse over each interest, an X will appear on the right. Click to remove the interest, and when all have been cleared, you can opt-out of interest-based ads in Google services. (Credit: Screenshot by Jeff Sparkman/CNET) Beyond Shared Endorsements Google also offers more specific ad settings controls for its users. To configure your Google Ad settings, log in to your Google account and go to the Ad Settings page. Related stories: Google putting your face in ads Google wants to sell more ads using your name and profile Microsoft reportedly wants to replace the cookie Facebook wises up with dumbed-down ad tools Facebook sees mobile riches in richer app ads Valve Steam Machines to battle game consoles Now you're a sharpshooter: The smart rifle arrives From there, you can control what Google's ad displays know about you. This includes your gender, age, language, interests, any advertisers campaigns that you've specifically blocked from being shown to you while using Google services, and opting out of interest-based ads in Google. To opt out of Google's interest-based ads, you must first manually remove all of the subjects listed, then click the Opt-Out link that appears. It should then change to an Opt-In link. To permanently opt-out of Google's DoubleClick cookie, which is Google's main advertising cookie, you can install their DoubleClick opt-out add-on. Once installed, even if you clear all your cookies and restart the browser, it will prevent the DoubleClick cookie from being saved to your browser. Beyond Google Google doesn't make a big deal of it, but it provides one more link in its ad settings fine print to help manage targeted online ads. AboutAds.info is a configuration page that lets you opt out of interest-based advertising tracking cookies from companies other than Google, provided that they participate in its self-regulating program. However, it is not a panacea. To use the consumer opt-out page, you must allow third-party cookies, since it uses a cookie to tell advertisers that you are not interested in interest-based advertising. AboutAds.Info lets you opt out of many non-Google tracking ads, but it's an imperfect solution. (Credit: Screenshot by Seth Rosenblatt/CNET) On the site, you can scroll to the bottom and click the Choose All Companies link to opt-out of advertising from all companies, but there's a catch. If you clear your cookies, you'll have to go through the opt-out process again, since it's cookie-based. Furthermore, there isn't a way to opt-out yet on a per-computer or per-device basis. If you use multiple browsers, you must opt-out in each browser you use. It also doesn't prevent data collection agencies from gathering information about you from the internet. It just prevents them from using it to target ads to you. Some cross-browser online tracking and targeted ad blocking add-ons include DoNotTrackMe and Disconnect.Me
Targeted ads are nothing new to Google, but they're about to get a lot more personal. Here's how you can make sure that the ads you do see aren't based on your personal searches.
An example of Shared Endorsements in a Google display ad.
(Credit: Google)
Google might be the king of online ads, but they do give you a way to limit how some of your data can be used to sell you things you don't need.
With its new Shared Endorsements coming on November 11, your Google+ user name, profile photo, and implied endorsements via comments and +1's will be used by Google to help make ads more personal.
Short of an ad-blocker, there's not much you can do to avoid ads completely. But Google does provide a few controls for restricting how much of your online behavior shows up in ads.
The checkbox for opting out of Google's Shared Endorsements.
(Credit: Screenshot by Seth Rosenblatt/CNET)
Shared Endorsements
To keep your user name, profile pic, and implied endorsements out of the Shared Endorsements ad system, log in to your Google account and go to the Shared Endorsements settings page. Then scroll to the bottom, and make sure that the checkbox for "Based upon my activity, Google may show my name and profile photo in shared endorsements that appear in ads" is unchecked.
Hit Save to lock in the change.
It's important to note that this does not affect the non-ad use of your endorsements, which is when it uses a recommendation you share to promote an item, such as an MP3 in the Google Play Music store, without any money changing hands for the promotion.
Before opting out of interest-based ads, you must individually delete your interests from Google's ad settings. When you mouse over each interest, an X will appear on the right. Click to remove the interest, and when all have been cleared, you can opt-out of interest-based ads in Google services.
(Credit: Screenshot by Jeff Sparkman/CNET)
Beyond Shared Endorsements
Google also offers more specific ad settings controls for its users. To configure your Google Ad settings, log in to your Google account and go to the Ad Settings page.
Related stories:
- Google putting your face in ads
- Google wants to sell more ads using your name and profile
- Microsoft reportedly wants to replace the cookie
- Facebook wises up with dumbed-down ad tools
- Facebook sees mobile riches in richer app ads
- Valve Steam Machines to battle game consoles
- Now you're a sharpshooter: The smart rifle arrives
From there, you can control what Google's ad displays know about you. This includes your gender, age, language, interests, any advertisers campaigns that you've specifically blocked from being shown to you while using Google services, and opting out of interest-based ads in Google.
To opt out of Google's interest-based ads, you must first manually remove all of the subjects listed, then click the Opt-Out link that appears. It should then change to an Opt-In link.
To permanently opt-out of Google's DoubleClick cookie, which is Google's main advertising cookie, you can install their DoubleClick opt-out add-on. Once installed, even if you clear all your cookies and restart the browser, it will prevent the DoubleClick cookie from being saved to your browser.
Beyond Google
Google doesn't make a big deal of it, but it provides one more link in its ad settings fine print to help manage targeted online ads. AboutAds.info is a configuration page that lets you opt out of interest-based advertising tracking cookies from companies other than Google, provided that they participate in its self-regulating program.
However, it is not a panacea. To use the consumer opt-out page, you must allow third-party cookies, since it uses a cookie to tell advertisers that you are not interested in interest-based advertising.
AboutAds.Info lets you opt out of many non-Google tracking ads, but it's an imperfect solution.
(Credit: Screenshot by Seth Rosenblatt/CNET)
On the site, you can scroll to the bottom and click the Choose All Companies link to opt-out of advertising from all companies, but there's a catch. If you clear your cookies, you'll have to go through the opt-out process again, since it's cookie-based. Furthermore, there isn't a way to opt-out yet on a per-computer or per-device basis. If you use multiple browsers, you must opt-out in each browser you use.
It also doesn't prevent data collection agencies from gathering information about you from the internet. It just prevents them from using it to target ads to you. Some cross-browser online tracking and targeted ad blocking add-ons include DoNotTrackMe and Disconnect.Me
