Can the ad servers still single you out if you don't have cookies and Flash?

[spartalkan@hotmail.com]

I definitely saw an ad that was targeted specifically for me on a site
I visit frequently. There was simply no doubt because of the nature of
the ad. Until a week ago I had cookies and Flash enabled, and I was
using Firefox. Then I deleted all cookies and selected Firefox's
option to delete all cookies every time I exit Firefox. Also, I found
and eliminated the 2 sub-folders in "C:\Documents and Settings" where
the cookies from Flash and Macromedia are stored. I'm not stupid
either when it comes to computers, I'm almost certain I have no
viruses or spyware of any sort, I have an excellent firewall, and just
to be sure, after receiving this specific ad, I researched and
downloaded the Spybot software, ran it, and just as I expected, it
said I have no spyware or anything on my drive. I know that no spyware
detector is safe, but I'm not stupid when it comes to computers, and I
just don't think it has to do with that.

But despite erasing all my previous identifying marks, today, after
changing my IP address and deleting the sub-folders again, I visited
that website and they showed me the ad that was targeted specifically
at me. My question is, how did they do it? I have a theory of my own,
I think that since they have my previous browsing history when they
receive a hit from someone they haven't identified yet they rely on
their stored data to send an ad to the most likely person behind the
anonymous hit. Using my IP range, the time of day when I visited the
site, the browser version, and of course the website I visit, they
reduce the possibilities to 1 or 3 people from their database and then
their computer picks an ad that it would have selected for one of
those people if it had been him and sends it to the anonymous browser.

I have a good reason to believe I may be right. I changed my IP
address again, erased all cookies and Flash/Macromedia garbage, and
then logged on to the same site just 5 minutes later with Internet
Explorer, which I never used to visit this site. They gave me a non-
specific general ad. I did this trick another 3 or 4 times, switching
between Firefox and Internet Explorer, and every time I logged on with
Firefox they gave me the same very specific ad, and every time I
logged on with Internet Explorer they gave me a general non-specific
ad. That looks to me like they are trying to guess who I am based on
the bits and pieces of info they can gather from my browser's request.

What do you guys think?
Thanks for your help.
A concerned warrior... "tonight we browse in Hell !!!!!"

[sirjakethenight@gmail.com]

On May 21, 1:00 pm, spartal...@hotmail.com wrote:
> I definitely saw an ad that was targeted specifically for me on a site
> I visit frequently. There was simply no doubt because of the nature of
> the ad. Until a week ago I had cookies and Flash enabled, and I was
> using Firefox. Then I deleted all cookies and selected Firefox's
> option to delete all cookies every time I exit Firefox. Also, I found
> and eliminated the 2 sub-folders in "C:\Documents and Settings" where
> the cookies from Flash and Macromedia are stored. I'm not stupid
> either when it comes to computers, I'm almost certain I have no
> viruses or spyware of any sort, I have an excellent firewall, and just
> to be sure, after receiving this specific ad, I researched and
> downloaded the Spybot software, ran it, and just as I expected, it
> said I have no spyware or anything on my drive. I know that no spyware
> detector is safe, but I'm not stupid when it comes to computers, and I
> just don't think it has to do with that.
>
> But despite erasing all my previous identifying marks, today, after
> changing my IP address and deleting the sub-folders again, I visited
> that website and they showed me the ad that was targeted specifically
> at me. My question is, how did they do it? I have a theory of my own,
> I think that since they have my previous browsing history when they
> receive a hit from someone they haven't identified yet they rely on
> their stored data to send an ad to the most likely person behind the
> anonymous hit. Using my IP range, the time of day when I visited the
> site, the browser version, and of course the website I visit, they
> reduce the possibilities to 1 or 3 people from their database and then
> their computer picks an ad that it would have selected for one of
> those people if it had been him and sends it to the anonymous browser.
>
> I have a good reason to believe I may be right. I changed my IP
> address again, erased all cookies and Flash/Macromedia garbage, and
> then logged on to the same site just 5 minutes later with Internet
> Explorer, which I never used to visit this site. They gave me a non-
> specific general ad. I did this trick another 3 or 4 times, switching
> between Firefox and Internet Explorer, and every time I logged on with
> Firefox they gave me the same very specific ad, and every time I
> logged on with Internet Explorer they gave me a general non-specific
> ad. That looks to me like they are trying to guess who I am based on
> the bits and pieces of info they can gather from my browser's request.
>
> What do you guys think?
> Thanks for your help.
> A concerned warrior... "tonight we browse in Hell !!!!!"

In many instances it is not an ad company targeting you it's the
website you are visiting. When you go to a site they add cookies to
your comp so if you delete them it doesn't matter, the next time you
go back they are added again. Especially if it is a website that you
have to login to since they have your info. The only way to get away
from this is to not go to that website again. I have ads that are
based on my page content but when I view it when editing or off line
or in different browsers the ads are not always as they should be,
(even though the html that creates them is the same).

Personally I find targeting ads at people not content funny. Most
people automatically do not even look at ads but when they see the
same ad over and over it makes them avoid it not by way of ignoring it
but intentionally ignoring it, almost counter productive really.
Besides if I'm on a page about politics that doesn't mean I have
absolutely NO other interests, lol.

Jake