Monday, August 25, 2008

Google's Ads ... just a teeeeensy bit scary

So, I've switched a number of my emails to Gmail, primarily because of it's kick-butt spam filter, but also because that ensures that emails from my husband, critique partners, editors and agents go to one input place (Outlook) and everything else goes to another place (gmail).

It's working great, and I'm actually staying more on top of my email than before (yes, there is a backlog, but I'm working on it. Honest!)

But here's the thing: I think Big Brother is watching. The other day, a fan sent me an email mentioning my daughter's cleft palate. The ads down the side ... all about Smile Train and cleft palate and orthodontia and plastic surgery.

Today, I emailed a hair salon to cancel an upcoming appointment ... the ads down the side? Hair color, hair extensions, salons.

I realize it's little bots doing all of that, but, hey, I'm not crazy about bots reading my email!

I'm not sure I'm weirded out enough to switch back to a POP account, but it does hammer home something I know, but sometimes forget: There ain't no secrets on the Internet. None at all.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Does it make you want to say something thoroughly outrageous just to see what happens? It does me. *g*

Julie Kenner said...

I'm game! Send a whacked out email to juliekenner@gmail.com, and I'll post the sidebar ads!

Anonymous said...

Yeah..google ads are creepy. (oh and we did all our daughter's surgeries at Children's in Boston and she is 13 and doing great now!). I'm a type 1 diabetic and all I have to do is mention diabetes or insulin or the pump or something and the ads all go that way.

Michael F Harris said...

It really bugs me on my multiply blog when I get the ads based on a blog.

Julie Kenner said...

Amysue! That's fabulous news! Our little one is doing great, too, though we just heard that the speech therapist is hearing some nasality. More testing next week, so cross your fingers we don't have to go in and extend her palate .....