Digital advertising is a scam from top to bottom. In fact, it’s several scams stacked on top of each other, wearing a trenchcoat, and some of the foundations of fibs are so effective that otherwise reasonable people entirely buy into them.
Data-driven ads are anything but
I’ll start with a few examples of the data which is definitely held on me, and just how entirely bad my targeted advertising is.
Facebook know my age and date of birth. They have had this data since I signed up for the website, 15 years ago. They know exactly how old I am. They also know where I live. Hell, sometimes I used to check into places with my location on. Despite knowing I am way north of 30 and way south of Birmingham, they are incredibly keen on advertising me events explicitly limited to people under the age of 30 in the Birmingham area.
Google knew I wanted to buy a mattress. They knew this because I googled it. And I clicked through to a brand selling mattresses, and I bought myself a mattress. The brand know I googled said mattress. Google know I clicked through. From Google’s own analytics, they ought to know I bought the mattress. Since buying that mattress, I’ve been constantly advertised mattresses, especially the one I already own and they know I already own.
Some might claim that in fact the advertisers are being incredibly smart and they’re advertising me activities for women under 30 in Birmingham so I go and tell my friends who are under 30 in Birmingham to go and do that. But of course, Facebook would also know that I don’t have any friends in that demographic. Or maybe that mattress seller is trying to tell me to refer a friend to buy that mattress by reminding me that I own a very nice mattress. In which case, why isn’t it advertising the referral programme, which I know they have because I received several emails and a physical leaflet about it with the fucking mattress?
The more simple answer is that the advertisers aren’t being data driven at all. They’re ticking default boxes or casting wider nets. I’m getting advertised mattresses because I have ~an interest in mattresses~. I’m getting activities for women under 30 in Birmingham because I’m under 40 and on the same island as Birmingha
