Ask HN: Do ISP's inject ads into browsers?

2 pointsHoppedUpMenace3y ago9 comments

Just noticed that an item that was heavily Google searched on one device in my home was now showing up as an advertisement on another device that was using Internet Explorer. This device is purely used for work and that has never once been used for searching for this item or anything remotely related to it. I find this very disturbing, albeit highly coincidental, and I cannot draw any other conclusion (additionally, no other devices pair or interface with the work device in question).

9 comments

sp3323y ago

https://ads.google.com/intl/en_uk/home/resources/retargeting...

Your ISP can see your DNS queries at least, and might sell that data. But they probably don't know which specific items you searched for because that data is encrypted between you and Google.

Vladimof3y ago

even if they can't see your DNS queries, they still know a lot (you can switch DNS server)

sp3323y ago

That's true, even if you switch DNS, they can still see the destination IP of every connection you make. That still means they can't see individual search terms though.

2 more replies

dave44203y ago

Is it possible that the ads are served by Google, and that Google infers your devices belong to the same household because they share the same IP address?

Nextgrid3y ago

Any ad provider worth its salt would absolutely be doing this.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

Ask HN: Do ISP's inject ads into browsers?

2 pointsHoppedUpMenace3y ago9 comments

9 comments

sp3323y ago

https://ads.google.com/intl/en_uk/home/resources/retargeting...

Your ISP can see your DNS queries at least, and might sell that data. But they probably don't know which specific items you searched for because that data is encrypted between you and Google.

Vladimof3y ago

even if they can't see your DNS queries, they still know a lot (you can switch DNS server)

sp3323y ago

That's true, even if you switch DNS, they can still see the destination IP of every connection you make. That still means they can't see individual search terms though.

2 more replies

dave44203y ago

Is it possible that the ads are served by Google, and that Google infers your devices belong to the same household because they share the same IP address?

Nextgrid3y ago

Any ad provider worth its salt would absolutely be doing this.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse