i don’t wanna see another ad on the web in my life, so i’ll just keep on using ublock.

I said this in the other thread but it bears repeating.

Data-driven marketing and privacy are diametrically opposed.

If I want to advertise to pregnant teenagers looking at bus tickets, even if I have something helpful to say, that is a huge privacy violation to those people. And even if you say, I can’t see who’s being advertised to, I can see who clicks on the ads, even accidentally. Now I know a whole lot about them

I am a little disgusted by this because now both major browser engines are being developed by an advertising company, creating more incentives for future web technologies that strengthen tracking and undermine ad blocking.

From what I understand, this is an anonymized targeted ad company. In other words, ads are still targeted to the individual user, it is just harder for the advertiser to track (or profile) an individual user. Are there any companies still doing untargeted ads, ads where the advertiser might pick what site their ad goes on but cannot target a specific user demographic?

I wonder if the process is open source or we just take their word that it’s privacy preserving. Anyway, privacy is not the only problem with online advertising, so I’m not going to give up adblocking any time soon.

Anonym was founded in 2022 by former Meta executives […]. The company was backed by [various venture capital corporations and multiple] strategic individual investors.

Bollocks

This sounds a whole lot like privacy sandbox.
You know, Google Topics.
The thing nobody wanted.

And honestly, reading through the article here, I don’t see many ways that it’ll be much better. If advertisements are matched on your local machine, then data is still being amalgamated somewhere. This is similar to Google Topics and Microsoft Recall, two things people complain about. For good reason.

The online advertising industry is undergoing a significant transformation. With growing consumer concerns and increasing scrutiny from regulators, it’s evident that current data practices are excessive and unsustainable.

It’s strange that Mozilla, a company that constantly positions itself as the ethical alternative to big tech, is saying “companies are being mandated out of unethical advertising.”

Secure Environment: Data sets are matched in a highly secure environment

Without any further information, this means so very little. Is it done locally? On their servers? Who knows.

By combining Mozilla’s scale and trusted reputation with Anonym’s cutting-edge technology, we can enhance user privacy and advertising effectiveness, leveling the playing field for all stakeholders.

When advertising is the business, your attention is the product. Maybe I’m being too unkind to Mozilla here, but it’s their press release and they can be as specific as they choose.

Anonym was founded with two core beliefs: First, that people have a fundamental right to privacy in online interactions…

This is the sort of meaningless fluff that you see at the front of every privacy policy, including that of the most invasive companies.

… and second, that digital advertising is critical for the sustainability of free content, services and experiences.

That’s the only way to offer free services?! What about donation-based models? Maybe Mozilla could have set up something like what Brave has, except not based around a sketchy cryptocurrency.

In fact, GNU Taler exists for this very purpose.

Anonym was founded in 2022 by former Meta executives

Meta. The company known for loving user privacy.

I was hoping Mozilla would finally shut up about putting AI into everything, but in retrospect, maybe they should go back to that.

I’m reading through the Anonymco privacy policy. Some standouts:

We collect… IP address, social media user names, passwords and other security information,

Passwords?!

…your browsing and click history, including information about how you navigate within our Site and Services…

…We collect and verify resumes, employment eligibility, education, and employment history from job applicants. This includes information about your skills and qualifications for the position…

Okay, great, they know how employable you are

We may disclose Personal Information and any other information about you to government or law enforcement officials or private parties… to prevent or stop any illegal, unethical, or legally actionable activity…

They are leaving the door open to disclose your data to private mercenaries to prevent… Pre-crime, I think.

We use Google Analytics on the Site and Services to analyze how users use the Site and Services, and to provide advertisements to you on other websites.

THEY USE GOOGLE ON YOUR DATA.

This really sounds like Mozilla snapped up the first company with the right buzzwords that they could find, rather than looking for the best one. It sounds like a repeat of the OneRep privacy disaster, when they partnered with a corporation that sold people’s data and used their ownership of it to basically demand ransom payments for its removal.

This is why i am not giving another penny to Mozilla ever again