AdSense Privacy 2 - Google PopUp?

Related to AdSense Privacy? - Need New Ad Provider. I dug a bit more, and found the FAQ page for DoubleClick - the provider responsible for the new Google AdSense tracking cookies, and apparently also for 1 x 1 pixel image "tracking beacons". But are they really saying, essentially that Google AdSense may include popups?

This is from the DoubleClick FAQ (emphasis mine throughout):

"DoubleClick provides its ad-serving clients with a means of choosing and reporting on ads. It is the website owners or the advertisers with whom they contract that make the decisions about the format of the ads. The advertisers choose whether they want to have banner ads or pop ups delivered, and they use our technology to make it happen. The website owners and advertisers choose the size and frequency of pop-up ads. DoubleClick has no control over which ad format website publishers or their advertisers choose.

Generally, there are a couple of different ways that you might receive pop up advertising:

• 1. The site you are currently visiting has sold an advertising opportunity to a marketer and that marketer has chosen to create an advertisement that opens a new browser window. This is a form of “traditional” Internet advertising.


• 2. You have some kind of ad-delivery software installed (intentionally or unintentionally, knowingly or unknowingly) on your computer. This type of software often comes bundled with freeware such as P2P (Peer-to-Peer) music sharing applications. It may track the sites you visit and scan their contents looking for triggers that match criteria identified by advertisers that purchased space from the software manufacturer. The software program will then display advertisements on your monitor."

...Ok, so AdSense will be: tracking users across all sites using a 'perma-cookie'; targeting ads based on what the user saw before your site, not what is on your site; requires you as the publisher to maintain a compliant privacy policy; and there could be popups in there too;

Where do I sign? Check is in the mail (for $1.73), right?

Fortunately, many others have realized the necessity to act. People have created ad-free search and a universal ad tracking opt-out tool that make the web feel just a little cleaner.

Links:
Ad-free search
Privacy Choice Universal Opt-Out
DoubleClick FAQ

"AdSense Privacy 2 - Google PopUp?" continued here...

AdSense Privacy? - Need New Ad Provider

I got an interesting email from AdSense. They are introducing "interest-based advertising". Seems harmless, right? Well, maybe. But if it is, why does this "enhancement" have anything to do with a publisher's privacy policy?

"We're writing to let you know about the upcoming launch of interest-based advertising, which will require you to review and make any necessary changes to your site's privacy policies. ...make any necessary changes by April 8, 2009."

Ok, sure. Like the sitemaps... where do I get the template/code/widget/whatever? How do I comply?

"...we're unfortunately unable to suggest specific privacy policy language."

Hmm... Ok, the link in the email for "AdSense Help" (link below) was a little more helpful:

Your posted privacy policy should include the following information about Google and the DoubleClick DART cookie:

• Google, as a third party vendor, uses cookies to serve ads on your site.


• Google's use of the DART cookie enables it to serve ads to your users based on their visit to your sites and other sites on the Internet.


• Users may opt out of the use of the DART cookie by visiting the Google ad and content network privacy policy. (link below)

EDIT: These guys have more info on the cookie technology:
SEO Book - Google Phorm Behavioral Ad Targeting

I found an AdSense privacy policy generator(link below).

...but I'm pretty sure I am going to remove the AdSense. I have until April 8th to decide. What would you like to see? Leave a comment if you know of an ad network, advertisers, or some other (preferably monetized) widget, gadget, network, group, exchange, etc. that would provide good technology-related content, and would actually add to the site, leave a comment, Twitter, email, smoke signal...

Links:

• Google AdSense Cookie Opt Out Link!


• DoubleClick DART cookie - AdSense Help


• AdSense Privacy Policy Generator

"AdSense Privacy? - Need New Ad Provider" continued here...