Last day to reclaim some of your privacy – for Google users

I work in digital media and only too aware of the enormous benefits that data provides to marketers by allowing to narrow down on virtually any segment of the market. Targeting is becoming so sophisticated in fact, that that the quote that goes as ‘half the money I spend on advertising is wasted, except I don’t know which half’ (John Wanamaker) is losing relevance.

Users can benefit from relevant and contextual advertising, yes, but let’s be honest. There is stuff you just don’t want to share. So if you have a Google Account, and also concerned about your data being used, follow these simple instructions on how to delete past history and prevent recording going forward. You have till the end of today (i.e. before 1 March 2012).

Thoughts from the ‘monthly’ blogger…

There is enough blogger-bashing (‘anyone can write’, ‘self-declared experts’) that can discourage the most determined. Life is so busy, that time for blogging can easily be the first to go. And let’s not mention self-doubt about the thoughts one choose to cover… so no surprise that wondering the online sphere, stumbling upon forgotten or closed blogs is not hard.

Like my small little world of Thoughts…

Then something happens. An automated email tells me that the once enthusiastically added tracking, recorded a share. Really?

And I go out, get introduced, and the person opposite me squints and asks if I blog, and before I answer recognises me from the photo. Really??

And then, what’s been brewing inside you for a while suddenly surfaces. The desire to think, to write, and to share the Thoughts again… no promises to daily blogging (that’s reserved for Nicholas Bate, my blogger ‘initiator’). Life continues to be busy. But I’ll aim to not let a month pass without contributing. Amen.