Google, huh?

Has anyone else who uses Google mail noticed this freakishly scary phenomenon-- gmail places ads above your inbox (or open message) and the ads seem to be based upon keywords from the content of your mail. For example, I received an email last week from a sender who is a professor at U of Michigan. She was asking folks to fill out a survey to assist her with a research project. So what appeared above my email?? An advertisement for degree programs at U of Michigan.

While writing this post I thought I'd test this weirdness out again. I just upgraded my Norton antivirus software and still have the confirmation email sitting in my inbox. Can you guess which company's advertisement appeared above the email when I clicked on it?

So now I've established it's not just me being silly. I'm sure this is no secret of the world. I haven't read any of the techie blogs that probably hashed through this problem a couple of years ago. I'm sure there is some gmail setting I need to turn off and I just need to take the time to make the fix.

But it brings up a point about privacy that drives me nuts. I don't really like having advertisements or book suggestions (Amazon) made for me based upon the last email I read or search I performed. (I'm talking here about the front page I see as soon as I log on to the store's web site.) It's less distasteful when I'm home but when I use a public computer I don't need everyone in the world knowing about my obsession with zombie survival handbooks (oops, did I reveal too much?)

Libraries are great at protecting our privacy in this way. I never log on to InfoSoup (my local library's catalog) and see personalized recommendations based upon the last material I checked out. If I did, I'd probably complain (or ask them to turn off that functionality for my account). I'm happy to just browse the electronic booklists or better yet, ASK A LIBRARIAN for a recommendation. Believe me, when I worked the Reference desk I may have judged you but I certainly didn't tell anyone about your interest in books about baking hemp.