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Comment by moolcool | Hacker News Reader

We're looking at asymmetrical warfare between incredibly advanced targeting algorithms, and our monkey-brains. It's all fun and games when you're selling moustraps, but what about when the algorithm finds out you have a predisposition towards addiction and realizes it can profit from that by showing you ads for alcohol and pharmaceuticals?

What happens when it learns that you have a gambling problem?

What happens when it learns that you're a hypochondriac?

What happens when it learns that you have a retail addiction?

What happens when your ad profile identifies you as somebody who has had an abortion in one of the states where it's illegal? Can the ad company be subpoenaed?

What happens when an insurance company goes to a data-broker and finds out that you've been googling cancer symptoms? Would their access to this information change your premiums or eligibility?

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> What happens when it learns that you're a hypochondriac? > What happens when an insurance company goes to a data-broker and finds out that you've been googling cancer symptoms?

1) We cannot solely rely on Apple's selective definition of privacy to resolve these. As an example, what if your health insurance company offers an app and you use that app to search for cancer? Should the insurance company be able to use that data? We need very strong legal protections as a more comprehensive solution that works across all types of data companies can gather to make medical decisions.

> What happens when it learns that you have a gambling problem? > What happens when it learns that you have a retail addiction?

2) You need to consider that (1) advertisers don't need to learn this! People willingly give them this data (e.g. by signing up for a sports betting app), and (2) this also opens the door to reach people to help them. No targeted advertising does not mean that these societal issues just disappear. These are still there but just harder to see.

> What happens when your ad profile identifies you as somebody who has had an abortion in one of the states where it's illegal? Can the ad company be subpoenaed?

3) While I abhor the decision on Roe vs Wade, let's flip this to: what if the ad profile identifies you as a seller of fentanyl? Would you want the ads data to be eligible for use in prosecution? I would. Saying that banning targeted ads protects women's privacy is security through obfuscation. That is not a solution.

1) So from the jump, you're counting on legislation to work against the interest of big insurance. You might be waiting a while.

2)This position presents a pretty messed up vision of the world IMO. As if the ideal state of things is that Google/Apple/Meta holds auctions where Draft Kings, Poker Stars, and a gambling support line can bid on a gambling addict's attention.

3) Asserting that targeted ad sales are good because they identify criminals is a big stretch imo

I think that we as a society decided that our solution to people with addictive personalities is to let natural selection take its course. There's way too much money to to made in the misery to try to apply those brakes.

> What happens when an insurance company goes to a data-broker and finds out that you've been googling cancer symptoms? Would their access to this information change your premiums or eligibility?

Gattaca happens

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