Emailers unaware of advert scans

[Scottish Business Owner]

An interesting article today in Web User regarding the ability of web based email providers to scan your email to allow then to feed in relevant adverts.

Emailers unaware of advert scans - Web User News

Brings up a interesting debate as to whether people feel this is in invasion of their privacy or it's acceptable on the basis you get to use the webmail for free anyway.

 

[Brian McIntosh]

I use Gmail for checking mail when I'm out and about and have access to a computer and I've noticed that the ads are always targetted to what's in the email. I can't say it's bothered me to be honest as I don't really take any notice of them.

 

[Power Lunch Club]

Yes, but how the heck are they getting access to what could be sensitive or personel information (albeit if it's really sensitive you wouldn't send it via email).

If they are accessing your email, what it they are doing with the information. Could our identies be stolen this way?

Scary stuff!!

Gordon
PLC

 

[IainKay]

I remember Google stressing (when they launched the Gmail beta) that it's only ever a computer reading emails and that it will not be stored only read and used to provide relevant advertising at the time of page load but it is very worrying.
Google is probably as trustable as it gets but others may not be.

 

[Brian McIntosh]

It does work. I was in the spam folder of my Gmail account and this was the link at the top of the page.

Title: FRENCH FRY SPAM CASSEROLE
Categories: Main dish
Yield: 8 servings

1 pk Frozen french fry potatoes,
-thawed (20 oz)
2 c Shredded Cheddar cheese
2 c Sour cream
1 cn Condensed cream of chicken
-soup (10 3/4 oz)
1 cn SPAM Luncheon Meat, cubed
-(12 oz)
1/2 c Chopped red bell pepper
1/2 c Chopped green onion
1/2 c Finely crushed corn flakes

Heat oven to 350'F. In large bowl, combine potatoes, cheese, sour
cream, and soup. Stir in SPAM, bell pepper, and green onion. Spoon
into 13x9″ baking dish. Sprinkle with crushed flakes. Bake 30-40
minutes or until thoroughly heated.

I'm trying this right now. I was going to have a deep fried Mars bar but, hell with that.

 

[Brian McIntosh]

I think there should be a sub forum somewhere here to post up the spam recipes that pop in the spam folder of Gmail. Here's todays one:

SPAM BREAKFAST BURRITOS

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Main Dish Breakfast

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 cn SPAM Luncheon Meat, cubed
-(12 oz)
4 Eggs
2 tb Milk
1 tb Butter or margarine
6 Flour tortillas (6")
1 c Shredded Cheddar cheese,
-divided
1 c Shredded Monterey Jack
-cheese, divided
CHI-CHI's Salsa to Taco
-Sauce

Heat oven to 400'F. In bowl, beat together SPAM, eggs,
and milk. Melt butter in large skillet; add egg
mixture. Cook, stirring, to desired doneness. Fill
each tortilla with SPAM mixture and half of cheeses.
Roll burrito; place seam side down on 12x8" baking
dish. Sprinkle remaining cheese over top of burritos.
Bake 5-10 minutes of until cheese is melted. Serve
with salsa.

 

[IainKay]

I wish some of the spam i get was useful like recipies!
All I get is enlargement and cheap drugs ads, and a load of random russian stuff that spam filter doesn't want to catch :/

 

[stugster]

It's cause it's targetted Iain