Microsoft Using Personal Data to Target Ads

smooth wombat writes "Microsoft is combing personal data with your search habits to produce targeted ads. Users who use Microsoft's Hotmail email service, msn.com news service and other Microsoft-owned sites will see ads specific to their demographic and interests. From the article: 'Microsoft executives say the system works anonymously and they won't pass on people's names or addresses to advertisers. Executives say they want to foster confidence in users to build a long-term business, and one that gives an incentive to not misuse personal details.' "We're in the early days of behavioral targeting but it's an idea whose time has come,' says Simon Andrews, chief digital strategy officer for WPP Group's MindShare, a large buyer of ad time. 'There is a lot of potential to know if people have been looking at specific sites.'"

Fish are the town, people are the barrel man.

[vmfedor]

This article is sure to be greeted positively by the Slashdot community!

Comment removed

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

I got your specific sites right here

[Dachannien]

There is a lot of potential to know if people have been looking at specific sites.

The only sites I look at are Slashdot and pron, so put that in your database and smoke it.

Re:Clippy

[__aaclcg7560]

Why would I since my desk drawer has a ton of naked paper clips? :P

Re:Fish are the town, people are the barrel man.

[CantGetAUserName]

Being honest, if these guys think they can defeat the combination of my appalling typing in search engine boxes and the spoofed mail account details, they're welcome to try (what, you think I'm really called 'Wibble Blah'?). And if they suceed, I'll ditch the account and get a new one.

Re:This is so scary and Slashdot does it too

[Anonymous Coward]

"How did you know I didn't have a job?" - you're posting on slashdot, pretty obvious if you ask me

Re:Clippy

[Dunbal]

Balmer. Squirt. Gaaaahhhhhhh!!! My eyes!!!!!!

OK, that one got the "coca cola running out of my nose" award. Ewww. I assume that wasn't a chair he just squirted...

Re:Fish are the town, people are the barrel man.

[Anonymous Coward]

Wow its a good thing I told them I was born in 1959 instead of 1979.....come on Viagra!!!

Re:Fish are the town, people are the barrel man.

[Joebert]

You didn't know ?
Spam has been using the advanced system that Microsoft is going to claim to have invented for years. Viagra, lotteries, & Canadian Drugs really are what we all need.