Curious About An Internet Ad

[Chesterton]

I've never had to wear eyeglasses but about two weeks ago I started needing to sometimes wear glasses to read fine print. Yesterday I was watching a YouTube video and I got an advertisement for eyeglasses. It was a little creepy because I'd never received an ad about glasses before, and I had not searched for anything related to glasses or optometry, or visited any retail sites or read any articles about glasses. But then I remembered that three days prior to getting the ad, I typed the word "eyeglasses" in a post in this forum.

I don't know how it works, but is it possible for a bot to crawl a forum like this one, and associate information found with a poster, and know when the poster visits YouTube, for example? I should add that although I visit YouTube occasionally, I've never signed in there, nor with any other part of the Googleverse.

Was this just a coincidence? Am I just being paranoid?

 

[The IbanezerScrooge]

I think it might be coincidence. I kind of tested this out one time by randomly doing searches for something that I would otherwise never search for. I even tried adding saying the name whenever I was around Alexa or logged in to FB on my phone (just to see if anyone was "listening"). I did this for about 3 months.

Never saw a single ad for the product I searched on.

 

[partinobodycular]

I think it might be coincidence. I kind of tested this out one time by randomly doing searches for something that I would otherwise never search for. I even tried adding saying the name whenever I was around Alexa or logged in to FB on my phone (just to see if anyone was "listening"). I did this for about 3 months.

Never saw a single ad for the product I searched on.

But that may have something to do with your security settings. The OP"s seem to be rather lacking.

 

[iluvatar5150]

I've never had to wear eyeglasses but about two weeks ago I started needing to sometimes wear glasses to read fine print. Yesterday I was watching a YouTube video and I got an advertisement for eyeglasses. It was a little creepy because I'd never received an ad about glasses before, and I had not searched for anything related to glasses or optometry, or visited any retail sites or read any articles about glasses. But then I remembered that three days prior to getting the ad, I typed the word "eyeglasses" in a post in this forum.

I don't know how it works, but is it possible for a bot to crawl a forum like this one, and associate information found with a poster, and know when the poster visits YouTube, for example? I should add that although I visit YouTube occasionally, I've never signed in there, nor with any other part of the Googleverse.

Was this just a coincidence? Am I just being paranoid?

Your brain actively looks for patterns that may or may not really exist.

That said - you don't have to have actively looked for glasses. Marketers know the demographics of the people who typically shop for glasses, and they know whether or not you match that demographic.

 

[Chesterton]

Your brain actively looks for patterns that may or may not really exist.

That said - you don't have to have actively looked for glasses. Marketers know the demographics of the people who typically shop for glasses, and they know whether or not you match that demographic.

I didn't see any pattern, but you could be right. I guess a lot of people start needing glasses when they get to be around my age. But I'm going to be really bummed out if I see an ad for adult diapers anytime soon.

 

[Neogaia777]

I've never had to wear eyeglasses but about two weeks ago I started needing to sometimes wear glasses to read fine print. Yesterday I was watching a YouTube video and I got an advertisement for eyeglasses. It was a little creepy because I'd never received an ad about glasses before, and I had not searched for anything related to glasses or optometry, or visited any retail sites or read any articles about glasses. But then I remembered that three days prior to getting the ad, I typed the word "eyeglasses" in a post in this forum.

I don't know how it works, but is it possible for a bot to crawl a forum like this one, and associate information found with a poster, and know when the poster visits YouTube, for example? I should add that although I visit YouTube occasionally, I've never signed in there, nor with any other part of the Googleverse.

Was this just a coincidence? Am I just being paranoid?

It's the wave of the future man.

I've been trying to focus on not giving a dang, not doing anything illegal, and having nothing to hide, and have even been trying to weaponize it, or use it as a weapon.

I want their eyes to burn, and their ears to bleed, etc, and make them just as crazy as I am now, etc.

Not like they leave me with much choice, etc.

I will only play nice only as long as they only just serve me only, etc.

Not the same with you guys though, just them, so don't worry, ok.

God Bless.

Oh, and some of their heads to explode as well, because that would be kind of cool.

But it's not the same with you guys though, so don't worry, ok.

God Bless.

 

[jacks]

You must fight information with information. Fill out all kinds of forms and questionnaires using false information. Make some of it true and most of it false. I had a friend that did this (a lot) and when you look him up or search him on Google, it says he is a Black, Jewish janitor that cleans toilets for Avis car rental and lives in Trenton New Jersey. None of this is true. They are just databases, they can only use the information they are given, whether it is correct or not.

 

[Neogaia777]

You must fight information with information. Fill out all kinds of forms and questionnaires using false information. Make some of it true and most of it false. I had a friend that did this (a lot) and when you look him up or search him on Google, it says he is a Black, Jewish janitor that cleans toilets for Avis car rental and lives in Trenton New Jersey. None of this is true. They are just databases, they can only use the information they are given, whether it is correct or not.

We are all constantly carrying around our government issue listening and tracking devices though.

Joe public, or most of the public, might be able to be avoided that way, but if you've attracted enough attention, certain government agencies can drop in and listen to you, or know exactly where you are at, and what you are doing, at any given time, or at all times, etc.

God Bless.

 

[partinobodycular]

You must fight information with information. Fill out all kinds of forms and questionnaires using false information. Make some of it true and most of it false. I had a friend that did this (a lot) and when you look him up or search him on Google, it says he is a Black, Jewish janitor that cleans toilets for Avis car rental and lives in Trenton New Jersey. None of this is true. They are just databases, they can only use the information they are given, whether it is correct or not.

It's not that easy... unless he's also masking his IP address... even then I wouldn't be too confident.

 

[Chesterton]

We are all constantly carrying around our government issue listening and tracking devices though.

Joe public, or most of the public, might be able to be avoided that way, but if you've attracted enough attention, certain government agencies can drop in and listen to you, or know exactly where you are at, and what you are doing, at any given time, or at all times, etc.

God Bless.

Just say no to smartphones. Just say no to using as much digital technology as possible.

 

[Chesterton]

You must fight information with information. Fill out all kinds of forms and questionnaires using false information. Make some of it true and most of it false. I had a friend that did this (a lot) and when you look him up or search him on Google, it says he is a Black, Jewish janitor that cleans toilets for Avis car rental and lives in Trenton New Jersey. None of this is true. They are just databases, they can only use the information they are given, whether it is correct or not.

I recall a couple of times getting frustrated with it all and entering my address as something like 000 Fake St., Kansas City, Azerbaijan.

 

[jacks]

We are all constantly carrying around our government issue listening and tracking devices though.

Joe public, or most of the public, might be able to be avoided that way, but if you've attracted enough attention, certain government agencies can drop in and listen to you, or know exactly where you are at, and what you are doing, at any given time, or at all times, etc.

God Bless.

Fortunately for me, I'm so boring I don't even have curtains in my bedroom.

 

[Neogaia777]

Just say no to smartphones. Just say no to using as much digital technology as possible.

I don't care that they are watching, or listening, or are tracking me, as long as they don't try to mess with me, or play games with me, or otherwise interfere with my normal life.

God Bless.

 

[Chesterton]

I don't care that they are watching, or listening, or are tracking me, as long as they don't try to mess with me, or play games with me, or otherwise interfere with my normal life.

God Bless.

I think the only reason government exists is to interfere with our normal lives.

 

[Neogaia777]

I think the only reason government exists is to interfere with our normal lives.

Well, most of the time, they are just keeping tabs on you, and as long as your not doing anything overly illegal, or too disruptive to them, they are just keeping tabs on you most of the time, just in case you do do that, or do start doing that to them, etc, because then, there might be some trouble with them maybe, but most of the time not, if your really not, etc.

Now if I had a choice between them keeping tabs on me, and them not keeping tabs on me, then I would most definitely choose the latter, but then again, they don't really leave you/me with very much choice in that now most of the time, do they.

You either choose to live with technology, or live 100% completely without it, and that's not much of a choice now, is it.

God Bless.

 

[partinobodycular]

Now if I had a choice between them keeping tabs on me, and them not keeping tabs on me, then I would most definitely choose the latter,

Are you sure about that... what if not keeping tabs on you also meant that they weren't keeping tabs on anyone else either?

 

[Neogaia777]

Are you sure about that... what if not keeping tabs on you also meant that they weren't keeping tabs on anyone else either?

I don't care what they do either way, but I know they will not give upkeeping tabs on at least "some people", etc.

And if I thought they were capable of using that kind of power truly responsibly, and not at all selfishly, then I might not have a problem with it, but as we all know, all human beings are flawed, and those in power are not at all very capable of doing that very well right now currently, etc.

God Bless.

 

[partinobodycular]

I don't care what they do either way, but I know they will not give upkeeping tabs on at least "some people", etc.

Ah, but now you're equivocating. You want somebody keeping tabs on pedophiles, and drug dealers, and corporate criminals, but you want them to do it without keeping tabs on honest upstanding people like you.

I think to be truly forthright one should either agree to keeping tabs on everybody, or nobody, otherwise it all boils down to who gets to choose.

 

[Neogaia777]

Ah, but now you're equivocating. You want somebody keeping tabs on pedophiles, and drug dealers, and corporate criminals, but you want them to do it without keeping tabs on honest upstanding people like you.

I think to be truly forthright one should either agree to keeping tabs on everybody, or nobody, otherwise it all boils down to who gets to choose.

First of all, I never said I was a honest upstanding individual, but I gave up on doing most things that are illegal or criminal a long, long time ago now, as I have already paid the price for it, etc.

Secondly, I think the only ones who should be keeping any kinds of tabs like that on individual people is only God and His Holy Angels secondly, because humans will always abuse it.

We start out keeping tabs on pedophiles, and other big-time criminals, and the like, but then it turns into anyone who won't accept the mark of the beast, or dares to voice or say anything against the state, or the current establishment, so it's a very slippery slope for us humans, etc.

So I would prefer us human beings keeping tabs like that on none, but don't have much choice in the matter, etc.

Either way, I will know the exact time and day to make or take my true right stand, and pay the price for it if I have to. Can you truly say the same?

But until then, I'd like to hold that as an ace up my sleeve, and not play that card until/unless it becomes absolutely necessary, etc.

God Bless.

 

[Chesterton]

You either choose to live with technology, or live 100% completely without it, and that's not much of a choice now, is it.

I gave up the internet for almost 3 years back around 2011. Even then, I was staying with a family member most weekends and I couldn't resist going online with his computer. Then one day a friend and I were at a Home Depot to buy something. They had a "Now Hiring" sign and he went to ask for an application. Was told he had to apply online, they didn't have paper applications. I knew then by the trajectory of things I wasn't going to be able to keep technology out of my life.