Yahoo to Let Users Opt Out of Targeted Ads

Yahoo Inc. said Friday that it would allow consumers to opt out of targeted advertising on Yahoo.com amid increasing congressional scrutiny about consumer privacy on the Web. More info here & here

So why is this important to publishers.?

Publishers earns some money thru Clicks from Advertisers that is shown in their site. Whenever Yahoo will Opt out the Targeted Ads it will only means that those ads will not be shown.

Sites such as Yahoo collect information as you browse the Internet, such as what websites you visit, what types of things you are searching for and what ads you click. They use that information to deliver ads somewhat relevant to your interests. Someone who visits many car websites, for instance, would receive ads about cars rather than about plants or diapers. [ source ]

and I believed that when Yahoo says

"The advertising model has made Internet content and services available to millions of people in the United States and around the world — for free," the company said in the letter. [ Source ]

They are right , Yahoo’s provided information is a Business, And it is only thru Advertisers that they can earn from. Yahoo’s e-mail system has been in existence for a long time. And what do you think that keep them on running? It is of course the advertisers, To those creating them problem about that privacy thing, I would suggest them not to use Internet at all if they don’t want their searches to be track, Why don’t they go to the National Library and stop using Internet. But would it be possible 🙂

I just hope that Google will not also use this feature. And I am afraid to see opt out also on our Google AdSense 🙁 That will only means less Click and Less earnings and that will be a nightmare for AdSense dollar earner.