Using Consumers to Advertise: Worse than Facebook Beacon?

It might be hard to see, but the first line of when I did the Google search -oh ok, a vanity search – on “laurel papworth” is a sponsored ad (slightly yellowed). In this case, perhaps IIR (an event management agency) have linked their database of past speakers (I chaired an Enterprise 2.0 conference last year) to Google Ads? Or has it read my post previously and linked me to ’em?

So I expect to see in the future, other unSocial Ads:

www.pottspointbooze.com.au Buy the same cheap-ass beer as Laurel Papworth
www.carsales.com.au Buy the same crapheap car as Laurel Papworth
www.woolworths.com.au Buy the same toilet roll/tampons as Laurel Papworth

Quick quick promote Facebook Beacon, at least we can turn it off on certain purchases. There’s worse coming, seriously. Go on, Google your name. What are you selling now?

For the record, I don’t care about the IIR using my name in advertising. I probably signed something to say they could promote the Enterprise 2.0 conference, without realising how my name would be linked. *shrugs* It’s gone anyway. My control of my own name/brand, I mean.

EDIT: Neuraxon77 has said I can be his first customer for a new ‘pimp-your-name’ service. Heh

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