Targeted Advertising: How It Works

The surveillance economy

Most "free" services on the internet pay for themselves by collecting and monetizing your personal data. Every click, every search and every interaction feeds detailed profiles used to target you with ads. This is what people call the "surveillance economy".

How ad targeting works

Advertisers use cookies, tracking pixels and other technologies to follow your behaviour online. They combine this data with information from other sources (data brokers, social networks) to build audience segments. You are then targeted based on your interests, behaviour and demographics.

Data brokers

Companies you have probably never heard of collect, combine and sell your personal information. These data brokers hold detailed profiles on millions of people, including your purchases, travel, financial status and even your health. This data feeds the whole targeted advertising ecosystem.

Protecting yourself from ad targeting

Use ad and tracker blockers such as uBlock Origin. Share less data on social media. Turn off ad personalization in your device and account settings. Consider a privacy-focused browser such as Brave, or Firefox with the right extensions.

If it's free, you are the product. Your data has considerable economic value.