Fact Check: Advertising presented to you on this service can be based on limited data, such as the website or app you are using, your non-precise location, your device type or which content you are (or have been) interacting with.

Fact Check: "Advertising presented to you on this service can be based on limited data, such as the website or app you are using, your non-precise location, your device type or which content you are (or have been) interacting with."

What We Know

The claim that advertising can be based on limited data is supported by various sources that detail how websites and apps collect and utilize user information. According to the FTC, advertisers track user activity through methods such as cookies and device fingerprinting, which allow them to gather data about users' online behavior across different platforms. This tracking can include non-precise location data, device type, and content interaction history.

Furthermore, the IAB Europe explicitly states that advertising can be tailored based on limited data, including the app or website being used, the user's non-precise location, device type, and previous content interactions. This aligns with the broader concept of interest-based advertising, which is defined as the collection of data over time to serve relevant ads based on inferred user interests (Digital Advertising Alliance).

Analysis

The evidence supporting the claim is robust and comes from credible sources. The FTC is a government agency known for protecting consumer rights, making its information reliable. The IAB Europe is a leading industry organization focused on digital advertising, which adds credibility to its statements about data usage in advertising.

The concept of limited data being used for ad targeting is not only acknowledged but is a fundamental principle of modern digital marketing strategies. For instance, the Criteo privacy policy discusses how non-precise geographical information is derived from user interactions, reinforcing the idea that advertisers utilize various forms of data to customize ads.

However, it is essential to note that while the data used for targeting can be limited and non-precise, it is still collected and analyzed in ways that can significantly influence the types of ads presented to users. The potential for bias in how this data is interpreted and used for advertising purposes is a critical consideration, as highlighted in discussions about ethical data collection practices (AIMultiple).

Conclusion

Verdict: True
The claim that advertising presented to users can be based on limited data, such as the website or app in use, non-precise location, device type, and content interaction, is accurate. This conclusion is supported by multiple credible sources that outline the mechanisms of data collection and usage in digital advertising.

Fact Check: Advertising presented to you on this service can be based on limited data, such as the website or app you are using, your non-precise location, your device type or which content you are (or have been) interacting with.