Turning off the targeted ads settings indeed prevents Google from showing you overtly targeted ads. It makes no claim that it prevents Google from harvesting the same data that is used to target ads

You can use uBlock Origin (browser extension) to block all advertisements. Then in the event you visit a site you want to support, turn it off.

There's ads on the Internet?

It's annoying but I take it as a sign that it's working and marketing money is being wasted on me

Yeah, I've gotten some not so subtle anime tentacle porn game ads.

Even if you do not use Google, if you don't have something like uBlock Origin (which I highly recommend), you'll still see advertisements on other sites which are served by Google.

This. I thoroughly checked all of my account's settings and toggled off about 15 switches related to history or data access. Not only that, Google can occasionally add new ones or toggle them back on, either through deceptive user prompts or underhanded updates.

Unfortunately the insidious fuckers got into "education" for obvious reasons and now i cant be a parent without a gmail account.

Right. Can't be too good. Gotta keep some evil practices going. Can't be Google without some evil.

The only ads I ever click on are when I search something like "brother dcp-l2550w toner" and the first result is an ad for Staples where I was going to buy the thing anyway. Even if I saw an ad for that exact toner and said "ah, that reminds me I need more toner," I'd still not click that ad but rather go search as described because I do not click ads.

There have been times I've been so annoyed by a company's ads that instead of buying their product I go with their direct competitor out of pure spite (if I needed something like the item in question, ykwim).

I used to be the same, but I eventually got sick of seeing these constant requests to spend my money on whoever's product. If I see a problem that can be solved with a product, I know tlwhere to find stores, and I'll go look for it. I don't need 45,000 attempts at my money in case one is what I need. So I block all ads, pointedly avoid sponsored results, and use my own brain to decide what I want, when I want it.

Plus it improves my experience on all services when the UI isn't wasted on banners and games don't play a video every thirty seconds. I haven't yet figured out how to block real-world ads. Maybe XR glasses with a brand censoring mod lol

Usually a picture with text, that lies to you and tries to manipulate you into buying something.

They also spy on you, so the ad-provider can figure out your secret interests, to better manipulate you.

Oh yeah. One of my probably unprovable theories is that the data they collected on me will always be floating around, I can just do my best to stop new data being harvested and, potentially, old data might be unsellable. Like when Daniel Radcliffe didn't update his outfit for several months and paparazzi couldn't sell the photos they took of him to magazines because they all looked outdated and therefore inaccurate

You know what both of those things are.

I had a TRS-80 once. You hit the power button and it started. I used programs stored on audiotape. Simpler days.

😂

I mean I think people on Lemmy know that.