Profit over Privacy: How Surveillance Advertising Conquered the Internet

Internet advertising has grown rapidly due to the development of the internet, but it is also a result of political and economic engineering. Profit over Privacy by Matthew Crain provides an origin story of how the massive data-collection infrastructure that undergirds the internet today is the result of twenty-five years of technical and political economic engineering. Crain argues that the internet did not have to turn out this way and that it can be remade into something better.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 216 pages
Publication date: 05 October 2021
Publisher: University of Minnesota Press

The contemporary internet's de facto business model is one of surveillance. Browser cookies follow us around the web, Amazon targets us with eerily prescient ads, Facebook and Google read our messages and analyze our patterns, and apps record our every move. In Profit over Privacy, Matthew Crain gives internet surveillance a much-needed origin story by chronicling the development of its most important historical catalyst: web advertising.

The first institutional and political history of internet advertising, Profit over Privacy uses the 1990s as its backdrop to show how the massive data-collection infrastructure that undergirds the internet today is the result of twenty-five years of technical and political economic engineering. Crain considers the social causes and consequences of the internet's rapid embrace of consumer monitoring, detailing how advertisers and marketers adapted to the existential threat of the internet and marshaled venture capital to develop the now-ubiquitous business model called "surveillance advertising." He draws on a range of primary resources from government, industry, and the press and highlights the political roots of internet advertising to underscore the necessity of political solutions to reign in unaccountable commercial surveillance.

The dominant business model on the internet, surveillance advertising is the result of political choices—not the inevitable march of technology. Unlike many other countries, the United States has no internet privacy law. A fascinating prehistory of internet advertising giants like Google and Facebook, Profit over Privacy argues that the internet did not have to turn out this way and that it can be remade into something better.

The rise of web advertising in the 1990s was driven by a combination of technological advancements, economic incentives, and political pressures. The internet was still in its infancy, and advertisers were eager to find new ways to reach consumers. At the same time, the rise of the digital economy had created a new market for advertising, and companies were willing to invest in new technologies to reach their target audiences.

One of the key technological advancements that enabled the growth of web advertising was the development of cookies. Cookies are small files that are stored on a user's computer by websites and used to track their online behavior. By tracking a user's browsing history, websites can tailor their ads to their interests and preferences. This allows advertisers to reach a more targeted audience and increase the effectiveness of their campaigns.

Another technological advancement that contributed to the growth of web advertising was the rise of search engines. Search engines like Google and Yahoo! made it easier for consumers to find information online, and this increased the demand for advertising. Advertisers were willing to pay search engines to appear at the top of search results, and this led to the development of pay-per-click (PPC) advertising.

Political pressures also played a role in the growth of web advertising. In the 1990s, there was growing concern about the privacy of personal information and the use of data for marketing purposes. This led to the development of privacy laws and regulations, such as the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). These laws and regulations put pressure on advertisers to collect and use personal information in a responsible and transparent manner.

Despite these technological and political advancements, the growth of web advertising was not without its challenges. One of the biggest challenges was the issue of ad fraud. Ad fraud is the practice of using fake or fraudulent ads to trick consumers into clicking on them. This can lead to wasted advertising dollars and damage to the reputation of advertisers and publishers.

To address the issue of ad fraud, advertisers and publishers have developed new technologies and practices to detect and prevent ad fraud. For example, they use third-party verification services to ensure that ads are being delivered to the intended audience. They also use machine learning algorithms to detect and prevent fraudulent ad activity.

Another challenge facing web advertising is the issue of privacy. As the internet continues to grow and become more integrated into our daily lives, there is growing concern about the amount of personal information that is being collected and used by advertisers and marketers. This has led to the development of new privacy laws and regulations, such as the GDPR.

Despite these challenges, web advertising remains a vital part of the digital economy. Advertisers and marketers continue to invest in new technologies and practices to reach their target audiences and increase the effectiveness of their campaigns. At the same time, consumers are becoming more aware of the issues surrounding privacy and are taking steps to protect their personal information.

In conclusion, the growth of web advertising in the 1990s was driven by a combination of technological advancements, economic incentives, and political pressures. The development of cookies, search engines, and pay-per-click advertising enabled advertisers to reach a more targeted audience and increase the effectiveness of their campaigns. Political pressures, such as privacy laws and regulations, also played a role in the growth of web advertising. Despite these challenges, web advertising remains a vital part of the digital economy, and there is ongoing debate about the balance between privacy and advertising.

Weight: 288g
Dimension: 139 x 215 x 15 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781517905057