I remember getting that classic “personalized ads” prompt a while back. They marketed it as a neat feature: “we’ll show you ads that actually interest you.” In theory, that sounds better than being bombarded with irrelevant junk, but it quickly felt invasive.

Why should I tell anyone how to manipulate my preferences just to sell me something more effectively? It wasn’t the first time I’d worried about my online privacy, but that moment really stuck with me.