Google definitely tracks your searches.
duckduckgo.com/ is a search engine which does not track you.

Yes me too - I get adverts in the box from things I have googled. Drives me mad. I am being plagued by little black dresses at the moment!

The one I get annoyed with is 'How many free SIMS would you like?' .... none at all thankyou! ... And I have never Googled anything to do with mobile phones ... grrr!

This effect is common on many web sites. I am currently getting adverts for digital projectors.

Go to your internet options and delete all cookies this will get rid of the adverts that pop up that is associated with what you have been looking at.
The link below shows how to delete them
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/windows-vista/Delete-your-Internet-cookies

About 2 hours ago I looked at ebay for laptops...now I´m getting laptop adverts here from ebay...nothing to worry about..ignore them.

I get these adverts and I get them on my hotmail emails too.

I keep getting adverts for a dating website for mature people. I can't work out whether to be annoyed for getting the advert, or for them assuming I'm past the first flush of youth!! By the way, I have most definitely NOT been googling dating websites.

Recently Bloomer and I were were having a little gentle discussion about putting a more reliable short-term memory on our Christmas wish-lists, and since then I have been getting adverts for "Brain-training" games. Look! There's one now!

I'm only getting "Where were you injured?" from an ambulance chaser - and I haven't had an accident. Thankfully :-)

I don't get any adverts - try downloading Adblock! (And please don't tell me off for not supporting our advertisers. its the flashing ones that just drive me demented.)

I'm getting one for expert lawyers. I have no need for a solicitor and have never searched for one.

Hope you never need one!

So do I Steragram.

One of the worst offenders for this is FACEBOOK. They track you all the time. I've been told I must 'log out' after each FACEBOOK session otherwise they can carry on tracking you for ever. It is getting a bit much isn't it?
Who knows what else these clever devils are up to.

My GoY is ad free! In fact 99% of my browsing is now ad free.
Use the link below to download Adblock Plus (for Chrome, for Firefox you'll need to follow the link on that page)

http://adblockplus.org/en/chrome

Mine too, see above.
I have given up on Facebook - its all so trivial it doesn't seem worth bothering with. Or am I just getting to old?

Well, if you are, Steragram, I'm right up there with you, and I had a facebook account a whole year before my Daughter. Gets too boring to bother with any more

I didn't understand how this was happening - just thought it was an amazing co-incidence that whilst looking to buy a new car I got loads of adverts for them intermingled with pyjamas! So then, I have just followed SteveG's advice and deleted my cookies!! believe me, if I can do it, then so can you!! Thanks Steve!

I tried deleting my cookies, and then couldn't do online banking any more!

Yes thats the trouble with deleting cookies - my computer won't let me for precisely that reason.

Thanks for all your replies. I do realise that websites have to be funded. What bother's me is the all seeing nature of certain aspects of computing. That your shoulder is being looked over constantly, timed, set down, listed. Moving adverts seem not to bother me. Just the spooks aspect troubles me. Will look at some of the provided links when I have more time.

This happens all the time, including the dating ones. What is more annoying is that my wife constantly receives text messages telling her she can get thousands of pounds for her recent accident when she has never had one, several friends have also received them whereas I have never had one, text message that is, although I have had an accident, so where do they come from.? Dreadful weather today I've given up and now suffering from cabin fever.

Yes, I've had similar texts, Doctorbob, without having had any accident. It's mystifying.

Anything that you have signed up to online and also and given your mobile number for is usually sold to third parties when you have given permission usually when you were not aware that you had (small print) and then these marketing companies start to send text messages emails etc offering all sorts. When I worked in IT I was a security boffin and used to monitor and find security issues with small and medium company’s networks and emails were the biggest problem to try to solve. The amount of spam and unwanted emails that some companies get on there servers is mind blowing. Three rules do not give your mobile number, email address, and as little personnel information as possible and always check that the servers are secure ones should be https and not http all banks and reputable companies use these secure servers.
When you clear you cookies out unfortunately some passwords etc that you have stored on your computer may be lost just retype your password and the computer will prompt to ask would you like it to be remembered.

Thanks for that Steve,
That brings up something else, I have received two E mails in the past three weeks from one of the most well known banks telling me that their is some unexplained activity in my account and they will be closing it down, I have never dealt with this bank and don't do online banking. I know it is a spam E mail but it is very annoying.

Doctorbob that sounds like Phishing scam email these really are bad they pretend to be your bank or other body who will try to steal your information I had one trying it on supposed to be eBay. The last big one that a lot of people got caught out with was supposed to be from the Inland Revenue. The scammers didn’t realise that the Inland Revenue never send emails to the public regarding tax.

Well it almost makes you feel like giving up the internet, however careful you are they have you every way.

While I was typing into this thread above I had a phone call from a friend who is 79 today, and just going on line for the first time ever, after the death of her husband about 3/12 ago.She has the computer and all other bits installed.(enthusiastic grandchildren!) Still needs to have free tuition, when her turn comes for a place. Already one of them has put her on Facebook, without asking whether she wants it!!!***!!. We are bad enough, but youngsters are eaten alive by fascination with the internet. Flickr and GoY are my limit and looking up how to cook brisket.....very nice it was too....no meaty adverts yet....any minute now? Can I sue OH for insisting on going upstairs?( see advert)

oooh, facebook, I am on there, but with no details and I never, ever use it. If it weren't for the fact I'd have to go on to do it, I'd remove myself, but when I tried 5 years ago, it seemed to be impossible to do. And I too get loads of texts about the accident I had - but only since I rang Orange and altered my tariff, which then meant they knew who I was. The other phone I have has always been a problem with rubbish texts, presumably because Carphone Warehouse supplied my details.
As for the ads top right on here, if I've not been to a website recently, they're just the standard free Sims, insurance, etc., but yesterday I was looking at rugs on line - that box today is full of rugs...

This is so scary and I really really hate it. I would like to come off Facebook too. And I won't have a loyalty card at Tesco either because they keep all the info on what you buy. And we are snooped on by aerial photographers so everyone can see into your back garden and there is nothing you can do about it.

Get Adblock plus Miriam.

I've had that too! I read an email from my Auntie and she mentioned some illness and then an advert came up on the side about it haha!

I don't mind the targeted ads on here - I recall there was a question here once about tomato plant trusses - ten minutes later, the ad on the side was for surgical trusses, so it can be vastly amusing... The ones that drive me mad are the mobile phone ones.

Just got adblockplus....no ads! Thanks for the advice:-) Worst ones I think are those saying you've won something and you can't get rid of them even if you click on x you get through to the site with no way out. I shall miss all my mature dating though;-))