[throwaway1959]

Just to make sure: this protects you from your co-worker/spouse looking at your search history at your desk/device. The advertisers and corporations can freely purchase your search history from Google. It does not seem like a significant step towards privacy to me.

[viro]

Do you know the difference between targeting based on data and having the data? I can show you an AD based on ur search I can't buy ur search history and see you looked up hentai.

[Spivak]

Yes and people’s whole careers are built on maintaining that fiction that they’re meaningfully different.

We sent you this ad because we know you like hentai and “we asked Google to look through their data and show ads to hentai watchers” is a distinction without a difference when it’s equally uncomfortable that Google is looking at this information as it would be for Google’s clients.

[throwaway1959]

Maybe I am too cynical, but I think in Google's case, the difference between targeting based on data and having the data will be several extra zeros in their price point.

[mda]

"The advertisers, gov agencies and corporations can freely purchase your search history from Google"

I hope you have some information backing this claim.

[riversflow]

Why wouldn't I operate under this assumption though?