How do targeted social media/web ads work?
In: 1
From the ad firm’s perspective: harvest a bunch of personal and demographic data from users (based on search terms, emails, messages, comments, sites visited, behaviour etc) and feed it into mathematical algorithms (called “machine learning”) to infer specific traits about that person, and predict their future behaviour and how best to manipulate that.
From the advertising company’s perspective: ask the ad firm to show ads for your company to people with certain characteristics. How they do that is basically a black box. Pay them based on how many people view or interact with the ad.
From the user’s persective: use an app or website and consent to the service provider monitoring your usage patterns and collecting personal details. See ads in the app/web page based on your interests, your demographics, your personality, the content you’re viewing, or just in general whatever is most likely to convince you into giving them your money.
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