Advert surprise

[veggiechicken]

I've been worried all year about mentioning my Bangkok Cucumbers - they're mini ones but that size suits me fine - thank you, spammers

[WilliamD]

Maybe, on a brand new computer, and in the absence of any browsing history to lean on for targeted advertising, the advertisement provider chooses based on whatever adverts get the most click-throughs on that particular web site?

That is exactly what happens. Clear your history and you'll get all the 'popular' default adverts, in some cases where advertisers pay most to agencies, mostly controlled by Google nowadays with the likes of their Adsense scheme and their DoubleClick subsidiary. So those dating ads are not any reflection of what you've been looking at, unless you have of course!. Quite the contrary. By clearing your history you've removed Google's record of what you like. It's only thereafter as you browse, say, gardening sites that those ads will start to be replaced by ads for sheds, lawnmowers and so on.
(Dealing with this stuff is part of my job/profession)

[veggiechicken]

Thanks William - that's very helpful.
Can you confirm that GYO has no control over these pop-up adds - presumably the only ads that they allow are from paid-up advertisers.

[WilliamD]

That's right VC, GYO won't have any control over what appears.

As individuals we can try and fine tune it by clicking the small right-pointing triangle which appears at the top right corner of the ads down the r/h side of the forum (you may have to hover over it). That takes you into the Adsense program, where Google allow you to make choices about opting in and out, but opting out just tends to put you into that 'you've no history therefore here are all the dating ads' scenario.

[Snadger]

I remember once searching for how to grow 'Big onions' and nearly got my eye poked out!

[Bill HH]

I have no objections to Asian women or any other women for that matter, but what really annoyed me was when I bought a secret present for my wife (A dyson cordless vac) only to find adverts for it plastered all over the PC when she turned it on!!! it sort of spoilt the surprise.
Dating sites are there and they advertise, its quite easy just to ignore them, lifes too short to get angry about it.