Was looking up a providers address on mapquest.  Less than halfway though entering the street name the full address pops up.  I had entered this address on mapquest once before about 6 months prior, and had cleaned my computer history and cookies several times.  Mapquest seems to remember (based on my IP?).

Same thing happened when I entered the address on my GPS...which I share with my wife.

My SO picks up my laptop to look for something on You Tube.  I keep that laptop very clean (clear browser and cache, etc.)  However, when You Tube loads, there are ads down the side, for, you guessed it, Married Women's Affairs Club, Hot Singles in Your Area.  She knows enough to know that sites gather information on your browsing history and tailor ads.  So you can imagine what happens next.  

Is there something I should have been blocking, or a setting I should have fiddled with?  I have to believe that advertisers picked up on my being on providers' sites, etc.

I admit I'm not the best with computer security.  I bought wifee a new laptop for her hobbies, so she seldom goes on mine.  I ALWAYS shut down if leaving it & have everything set to clear on closing.  I use IE8 in the inprivate mode.  
I'm sure that forensically my tracks could be recovered.  I have it in mind to get an overwrite program.  

If you think your security has been challenged, be sure to run spyware scans & check for new programs...  lest she decide to track your hobby.

I think that ANY adult site might trigger those adds.  I don't think provder's sites are the trigger but TER, escort malls & such may be.  
skb

Big Brother is watching you.



Thank you
2011 = 28

If you use IE or FF on you PC, install another browser app and don't leave links on the desktop. Either way, use incognito/private browsing mode for all hobby activity.

You could also install a browser on a thumb drive and use that for all surreptitious purposes. Even more stealthy, you could go even further and install Linux/Knoppix, etc on a thumb drive and browse from there.

The ultimate solution would be to have your own computer with a secret initial launch code for the desktop.  If she can't even open a browser, everything in the history is safe.  No need for her to even know the computer exists.  Get the cheapest lap-top you can.  Some, with limited functionality, are only a few hundred bucks.  Much cheaper than dueling divorce lawyers.

If you are using the computer only for hobbying and checking your hobby email, it would be good for you to not get a lap top but instead get a cheap netbook. The one I use only cost $150. It's smaller than a laptop and is basically the halfway point between laptop and Ipad/Playbook. It has great internet connectivity and is secure.  Also, install cc cleaner on your computer and use it after EVERY use.  There is also another program called something like "Ghost" or "Shadow" something along those lines and it automatically erases sites you go to after you click off the window. Finally install spyware like "Spyware Doctor" (do a simple google search). You'll erase any hidden files that CC did't catch to hide your activity. Be careful and good luck.

Why not click on safety upper right hand corner ,provided by G-mail,,then use the InPrivate setting?

AND set up separate accounts for you and your wife.  When you leave the laptop logout or lock the computer.  If she needs to use it she can log into her account.  When she asks why it is simple..  You want to have her preferences and her browsing history preserved for her so it's more convenient for her..  Plus you can encourage her to customize her desktop to be just how she likes it...

Big Brother just wants to help. Like his pal Clippy.

Well, quick thinking got me out of that spot.  I blamed it on my porn surfing, a known failing of yours truly.

I'm sure cleaning out the cookies does not help in this situation, the info has already gone out when you are looking at a site.  You can try to view site without cookies, but lots of things don't load, then.  Browsing in private mode gets rid of the trail on the computer, but just about any site that you go to later creates ads just for you, you horndog!

Hobby phone, now the suggestions of a cheap hobby computer.  Hobby bank account, hobby clothes, hobby GPS, where will it stop?  I thought I had a reasonable set-up, but the pop up ads reveal a weakness.

No solution to the ad problem. Changing browsers and going into private mode is not going to solve the problem. I run Fire Fox on private mode but I get all the ads. A quick test is to download Firefox and go to TER and see whether you see "Sponsored by Villa Vertigo" on the right side and if you do, there is your answer.

Cookies don't nothing to do with it. The only solution I have come across is "proxyfy.com" but it has significant problem because it changes the look and feel of every Web Page and can't see crap other than text besides, if you use proxify, you won't able to see You Tube.

I don't use you tube or any other social networking sites just because of the privacy reasons.  If you use Safari, it allows you to turn off location services. You can run Safari on private mode also, private mode doesn't keep history and will accept cookies only from the sites you visit.

You cannot do away with cookies, some site will not work at all. There will be message telling you that cookies are disabled and to enable cookies.

Why are you worried about it anyway, if your wife uses her own computer she will also see the same ads. Bit paranoid maybe?

my laptop sleeps within 2 minutes that i stop using it,i have to log on every  time i open,and tell her to leave your shit alone.

It still runs Windows OS doesn't it? Just because it is a net book doesn't make it safe. There not single computer in the world Laptop, net book, desk top, etc that is safe. Safety depends on how much you know about computers, computer security and whether you know how to detect when you are on an unsafe site.

The more software you install the less safe you are. Most of the free stuff is never tested for security, testing for security is expensive and time consuming. Free stuff, you are your own. If you have enabled system messages, and have patience to regularly go through it, there is no way to know whether you are safe or not.

If you are using firefox Adblock will help with that.  Go to tools/add-ons and search for it.  Good stuff.

So many of the comments here make it clear that "we" do not want and are even compromised by a lot of features that these sites want to shove down our throats. Clearing cookies and other stuff won't keep a site that tracks IP addresses from flashing an embarrassing message to your browser. To the extent that I can remember, those are sites I avoid completely.

Using adult services and websites is NOT like using Yahoo or Disney. If Amazon wants to tell me that I should buy some stuff based on a purchase I made three years ago, it's stupid and annoying but not compromising (usually ).

BY DESIGN, the websites we peruse should be fast, simple, traceless and as painless as possible. Ladies: NO MUSIC!! Do you think we're all Hugh Hefner lounging in a silk smoking jacket? NO! We're taking a few minutes here and there hoping not to get caught by co-workers or SOs. And no more uncontrolled floods of X-rated pop-ups. Those are sites I remember to AVOID.

If you want me to remember to come back to your site, it will be based on simple web design and memorable CONTENT.

And TER should simplify their web pages, too.

OP: How about investing in a dual booting system. Boot into one OS for you and your hobby and the other OS for wifee, Yahoo, Disney and Amazon stuff.