Browsers forum: Google 'talking' to Amazon

Mark,

Thanks for the comment. I am 99% sure that no one else used the computer, my daughter is 5 years old, and my wife has no interest.

Yes, cookies are something I need to look at, and I'll dig around now. I did find a link to a piece of software called 'Awesome Screenshot' where the developer confessed to incorporating such a plug-in to his software. He subsequently apologised, to be fair to him. But it does highlight a vulnerability. Other than that I haven't found too much else on the subject.

I do admit to downloading and trying out various software and freeware, but following my clean install which was done only 2 days ago I haven't installed anything not well known to me. For example, I have not yet installed a video player (VLC or KM Player), and I have Revo Unistaller on my machine, but the portable player, not the installed version. I really am trying to keep my machine clean. Fastidious, maybe, but actually I simply get fed up having to reinstall Windows every year or so.

I'll look at my cookies and try out Process Explorer to see if I can work out what's happening.

Thanks,
Bob

Have a look here.
Advertising and Privacy
http://www.google.com/privacy/ads/

Many thanks.

I was aware that Google used information to target ads to users - for example, if I am looking to buy something, it usefully comes up with suppliers in the area I live in. What I had not seen before was such a clear reference within a 3rd party site (in this instance Amazon) to a search earlier conducted on Google.

Notwithstanding that, your link provides some very useful information, much of which I was not aware of - thanks.

I have gone through my cookies, and had around 3 or 400 unchecked cookies which I was not aware of - I suspect that one of those cookies was up to tricks, though I am not sure which one. I usually keep an eye on my cookies cleaning them up once a week or so (I use Ace Utilities). That practice together with looking at my settings in Google should help.

I've used this one.
http://www.ghostery.com/

Ken, many thanks. I see it's a plug in. I'll give it a try.

I did that search in Google for Scottish Flags last night, then logged into Amazon.co.uk this morning and I found nothing unusual. I also received an email from Amazon today about offers and reviews, and no flags or anything related to Scotland.

Apart from what Ken offered in his link about Google's AdSense and other things which I confess to not entirely understanding, I wonder if the culprit is your Home Page. For instance, if you used the home page to search for "Flags of Scotland" then used the same web page to move on to Amazon, is there some linking from Google to Amazon through AdSense or other algorithm that Google uses?

It would be interesting to see, if you changed your home page to something else, eg your ISP web site, then used your cleaner to remove all cookies except the ones you really need to keep, and all history and TIF, whether or not you get the same results.

Mark

This has been the case for sometime now. For example, Google seems to be aware that you live in Texas and are into motorbikes: - for sure, you are not going to get lots of offers for Barbie dolls from 'CheapToyShop' in Singapore. Good or bad? How many times have you clicked on such an ad? Me, hardly ever, but then again the advertising revenue is what makes Google Maps, etc and much else on the internet, free.

Check out a couple of the posts above. There are some good tips if you want to regain some control of your browsing.