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Google’s FLoC Is a Terrible Idea

(www.eff.org)
604 points wyldfire | 4 comments | 04 Mar 21 15:59 UTC | HN request time: 0.636s | source
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dleslie ◴[04 Mar 21 16:49 UTC] No.26344736[source]▶
This captures my feelings on the issue:

> That framing is based on a false premise that we have to choose between “old tracking” and “new tracking.” It’s not either-or. Instead of re-inventing the tracking wheel, we should imagine a better world without the myriad problems of targeted ads.

I don't want to be tracked. I never have wanted to be tracked. I shouldn't have to aggressively opt-out of tracking; it should be a service one must opt-in to receive. And it's not something we can trust industry to correct properly. This is precisely the role that privacy-protecting legislation should be undertaking.

Stop spying on us, please.

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sofixa ◴[04 Mar 21 17:39 UTC] No.26345398[source]▶
Do you use Web Monetisation ( as in, pay)? If you don't, and don't want to be tracked for ads, how do you propose things work?
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shawkinaw ◴[04 Mar 21 17:50 UTC] No.26345534[source]▶
You can have ads without tracking. Print, radio, TV all do this.
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sofixa ◴[04 Mar 21 17:54 UTC] No.26345622[source]▶
You can, but do you remember the times on the Internet when that was the case? I vaguely remember cents per thousands of ad clicks, which would make most websites financially unviable.
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1. reaperducer ◴[04 Mar 21 19:22 UTC] No.26346908[source]▶
You can, but do you remember the times on the Internet when that was the case? I vaguely remember cents per thousands of ad clicks, which would make most websites financially unviable.

I do, and the amount of money webmasters made back then was much better.

Some of the sites I ran got $10-$15 CPM. Ad campaigns targeted to my sites' niches could be up to $25 CPM.

Ever since Google introduced AdWords and its race to the bottom, content-heavy web sites are lucky to get 10¢ CPM.

But since the new kids on the block have never experienced a profitable web without tracking, they don't know any better and think it didn't exist.

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2. dleslie ◴[04 Mar 21 19:39 UTC] No.26347130[source]▶
That was a lovely time to be on the internet: there was greater incentive to create interesting and focused niche content.
3. readams ◴[04 Mar 21 23:47 UTC] No.26350192[source]▶
But AdWords isn't a race to the bottom; it's the opposite. Google's ad business is so big because Google drives so much more value than other ad targeters.
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4. reaperducer ◴[05 Mar 21 01:46 UTC] No.26351392[source]▶
For Google is a race to the top. But for publishers, all we get is crumbs compared to the old days.