Researchers Investigate Google's Ad System With AdFisher, Ad Targetting Tool

[engine]

This was interesting research and it suggest that Google's algorithm for delivering ads has a "dark side."
Those of us running Google AdSense will know how frustrating it can be at times, and as advertisers, we don't want irrelevant ads delivered. We all work really hard to get our ad campaigns perfect, and if we don't we suffer all kinds of problems, not least the cpc and ranking. But is it all our fault? This research suggests it's not, and it's worth reading if you're an advertiser with AdWords, or you are a publisher with AdSense.

I'm not totally convinced by the research as there are so many other factors involved, and, really, only Google knows the truth.

Researchers say Google’s ad-targeting system sometimes makes troubling decisions based on data about gender and other personal characteristics. Researchers Investigate Google's Ad System With AdFisher, Ad Targetting Tool [technologyreview.com]

Researchers from Carnegie Mellon University and the International Computer Science Institute built a tool called AdFisher to probe the targeting of ads served up by Google on third-party websites. They found that fake Web users believed by Google to be male job seekers were much more likely than equivalent female job seekers to be shown a pair of ads for high-paying executive jobs when they later visited a news website.

AdFisher also showed that a Google transparency tool called “ads settings,” which lets you view and edit the “interests” the company has inferred for you, does not always reflect potentially sensitive information being used to target you. Browsing sites aimed at people with substance abuse problems, for example, triggered a rash of ads for rehab programs, but there was no change to Google’s transparency page.

What exactly caused those specific patterns is unclear, because Google’s ad-serving system is very complex.

[Leosghost]

I would be highly surprised if Google's ad serving system worked otherwise..
From what I have seen over the years it does work the way that the researchers found, and ( if my ethics were those of Google ) that is precisely way I would have set up ad serving and tracking / personalisation of ads served ( whether via adwords or adsense ) for any given user..
I would also think it highly likely that ( if Google is not doing so already ) that Google would be wworking on a way to show ads for remedies for Parkinson's desease to those whose mouse movements when they are on Google properties suchas search, youtube, gmail etc show evidence of trembling..
Think I jest ?
look at the amount of javascript on any SERP page..and run wireshark when searching using Google, surfing or using their chrome browser ..and then of course there is android..and what android sends back to Google about what the phone's user does..

I'd also add , before the "reflexive" "Google defense" ( those which defend Google or say "Bing" et al probably do the same ) posts begin..That it is very difficult for I ( and very many others ) to consider 98% of such posts and posters truly objective when their income , ( because they have either Google stocks or run adsense or sell adwords services, or "SEO for Google" services ) depends on google having a good image and favourable press and comments..

Note ..I say 98% of cases ..not 100% :)

[edited by: Leosghost at 6:07 pm (utc) on Jul 8, 2015]

[martinibuster]

They should have asked Brad Geddes to explain it to them...