Cookies: How Ad Platforms Steal Your Mind (Part 1) episode artwork

EPISODE · Jan 14, 2026 · 1H 7M

Cookies: How Ad Platforms Steal Your Mind (Part 1)

from Technology Blows · host Dan Slimmon

The web didn't have to be this way. Friend-of-the-pod CJ Horton joins us for a look at cookies: the completely reasonable web protocol that became host to the parasitic ad industry.References:"Lou Montulli: Sexiest Internet Mogul." People. 15 November 1999.https://adtech.org/best-demand-side-platforms/https://www.wsj.com/articles/federal-agencies-use-cellphone-location-data-for-immigration-enforcement-11581078600http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2011/07/undeletable-cookie/https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/04/google-delays-third-party-cookie-death-again-now-scheduled-for-2025/https://arxiv.org/abs/cs/0105018https://blog.chromium.org/2020/04/temporarily-rolling-back-samesite.htmlhttps://blog.google/products/ads/next-steps-transparency-choice-control/https://blog.google/products/chrome/building-a-more-private-web/https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc2109https://digiday.com/uk/all-you-need-to-know-about-europes-data-privacy-regulations/https://github.com/w3c/web-advertising#ideas-and-proposals-links-outside-this-repohttps://github.com/w3c/web-advertising/blob/main/OnlineAdvertisingParticipants.mdhttps://github.com/w3c/web-advertising/blob/main/rtb-use-case.mdhttps://github.com/w3c/web-advertising/blob/main/understanding-privacy-advocates.mdhttps://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/investing-in-mobile-future-with-admob.htmlhttps://help.imdb.com/article/imdb/general-information/why-should-i-register-on-imdb/GHB62T7USTMYMCDC?ref_=helpart_nav_3#https://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/ietf-http-wg/1995OctDec/0458.htmlhttps://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/ietf-http-wg/1995OctDec/0501.htmlhttps://privacysandbox.google.com/blog/privacy-sandbox-next-stepshttps://privacysandbox.google.com/cookies/storage-access-apihttps://privacysandbox.google.com/protections/privacy-budgethttps://safety.google/safety/ads-data/https://scholarship.law.vanderbilt.edu/jetlaw/vol1/iss1/4/https://support.google.com/adsense/answer/9560818?hl=enhttps://techcrunch.com/2009/11/09/google-acquires-admob/https://thehistoryoftheweb.com/your-privacy-policy-doesnt-mean-a-thing-regulating-privacy-on-the-web/https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc2965https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc6265https://w3cping.github.io/privacy-threat-model/https://web.archive.org/web/19991127212505/http://www.networkadvertising.org/https://web.archive.org/web/20000815060418/http://www.cookiecentral.com/faq/#2.3https://web.archive.org/web/20090627105722/http://www.cookiecentral.com/faq/#2.3https://web.archive.org/web/20100830143434/http://www.ecommerce-guide.com/article.php/3895466https://web.archive.org/web/20110530020518/http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/25/microsoft-security-idUSN2517397120110525https://web.archive.org/web/20120119215316/http://www.ecommerce-guide.com/article.php/3877261https://web.archive.org/web/20131209210402/http://news.cnet.com/8301-10789_3-9918582-57.htmlhttps://web.archive.org/web/20141127185609/http://www.computerworld.com/article/2510494/data-privacy/microsoft-disables--supercookies--used-on-msn-com-visitors.htmlhttps://web.archive.org/web/20170906230653/http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/M/magic-cookie.htmlhttps://webkit.org/blog/10218/full-third-party-cookie-blocking-and-more/https://webkit.org/blog/9661/preventing-tracking-prevention-tracking/https://www.baekdal.com/thoughts/the-original-cookie-specification-from-1997-was-gdpr-compliant/https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/computer-internet/computer-use-1984-2009.htmlhttps://www.cnet.com/news/privacy/google-finds-apple-safari-anti-tracking-feature-actually-enabled-tracking/

The web didn't have to be this way. Friend-of-the-pod CJ Horton joins us for a look at cookies: the completely reasonable web protocol that became host to the parasitic ad industry.References:"Lou Montulli: Sexiest Internet Mogul." People. 15 November 1999.https://adtech.org/best-demand-side-platforms/https://www.wsj.com/articles/federal-agencies-use-cellphone-location-data-for-immigration-enforcement-11581078600http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2011/07/undeletable-cookie/https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/04/google-delays-third-party-cookie-death-again-now-scheduled-for-2025/https://arxiv.org/abs/cs/0105018https://blog.chromium.org/2020/04/temporarily-rolling-back-samesite.htmlhttps://blog.google/products/ads/next-steps-transparency-choice-control/https://blog.google/products/chrome/building-a-more-private-web/https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc2109https://digiday.com/uk/all-you-need-to-know-about-europes-data-privacy-regulations/https://github.com/w3c/web-advertising#ideas-and-proposals-links-outside-this-repohttps://github.com/w3c/web-advertising/blob/main/OnlineAdvertisingParticipants.mdhttps://github.com/w3c/web-advertising/blob/main/rtb-use-case.mdhttps://github.com/w3c/web-advertising/blob/main/understanding-privacy-advocates.mdhttps://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/investing-in-mobile-future-with-admob.htmlhttps://help.imdb.com/article/imdb/general-information/why-should-i-register-on-imdb/GHB62T7USTMYMCDC?ref_=helpart_nav_3#https://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/ietf-http-wg/1995OctDec/0458.htmlhttps://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/ietf-http-wg/1995OctDec/0501.htmlhttps://privacysandbox.google.com/blog/privacy-sandbox-next-stepshttps://privacysandbox.google.com/cookies/storage-access-apihttps://privacysandbox.google.com/protections/privacy-budgethttps://safety.google/safety/ads-data/https://scholarship.law.vanderbilt.edu/jetlaw/vol1/iss1/4/https://support.google.com/adsense/answer/9560818?hl=enhttps://techcrunch.com/2009/11/09/google-acquires-admob/https://thehistoryoftheweb.com/your-privacy-policy-doesnt-mean-a-thing-regulating-privacy-on-the-web/https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc2965https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc6265https://w3cping.github.io/privacy-threat-model/https://web.archive.org/web/19991127212505/http://www.networkadvertising.org/https://web.archive.org/web/20000815060418/http://www.cookiecentral.com/faq/#2.3https://web.archive.org/web/20090627105722/http://www.cookiecentral.com/faq/#2.3https://web.archive.org/web/20100830143434/http://www.ecommerce-guide.com/article.php/3895466https://web.archive.org/web/20110530020518/http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/25/microsoft-security-idUSN2517397120110525https://web.archive.org/web/20120119215316/http://www.ecommerce-guide.com/article.php/3877261https://web.archive.org/web/20131209210402/http://news.cnet.com/8301-10789_3-9918582-57.htmlhttps://web.archive.org/web/20141127185609/http://www.computerworld.com/article/2510494/data-privacy/microsoft-disables--supercookies--used-on-msn-com-visitors.htmlhttps://web.archive.org/web/20170906230653/http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/M/magic-cookie.htmlhttps://webkit.org/blog/10218/full-third-party-cookie-blocking-and-more/https://webkit.org/blog/9661/preventing-tracking-prevention-tracking/https://www.baekdal.com/thoughts/the-original-cookie-specification-from-1997-was-gdpr-compliant/https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/computer-internet/computer-use-1984-2009.htmlhttps://www.cnet.com/news/privacy/google-finds-apple-safari-anti-tracking-feature-actually-enabled-tracking/

NOW PLAYING

Cookies: How Ad Platforms Steal Your Mind (Part 1)

0:00 1:07:36

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

The Hunt Diaz Task Force A hard-hitting, eye-opening podcast that takes you deep into the relentless fight against human and sex trafficking. Each episode explores the dangerous world of traffickers and predators from every angle—street operations, online investigations, and digital warfare. Hear firsthand from law enforcement, federal agents, and prosecutors as they share real stories of sting operations, investigative tactics, and the challenges of bringing traffickers to justice. Follow live sting operations, online predator investigations, and real-time takedowns of trafficking rings, with insights from cybercrime experts, undercover decoys, and live case discussions. We dive deep into how traffickers operate on the dark web, using cryptocurrency and other digital tools to exploit victims. Learn how law enforcement is using cutting-edge technology to track traffickers and disrupt their operations. The Hunt, pulls back the curtain on the digital and real-world fight against trafficking, exposing the p Explicit TCAST: The Future of Data & AI TARTLE The Data Intelligence Podcast (TCAST) explores the intersection of AI, data privacy, and ethical technology. Join Alexander McCaig and Jason Rigby as they decode the future of data ownership, artificial intelligence, and digital privacy with industry leaders, researchers, and innovators.Each episode delivers actionable insights on:AI and machine learning developmentsData privacy and ownership strategiesEthical technology implementationReal-world applications of data intelligenceFuture trends in digital identity and data marketplacesPerfect for tech leaders, data scientists, privacy advocates, and forward-thinking professionals looking to understand and shape the future of data and AI.Presented by TARTLE, pioneers in ethical data exchange and AI enhancement. New episodes every week.The show is hosted by Co-Founder and Source Data Pioneer Alexander McCaig and Head of Conscious Marketing Jason Rigby.What's your data worth? Find out at (https://tartle.co/)Watch the podcast on Yo Explicit Techlore Surveillance Report Techlore Techlore Surveillance Report is your weekly deep-dive into the privacy and security news that matters for your digital freedom. Hosted by Henry Fisher, founder of Techlore and long-time digital rights educator, each episode cuts through the noise to bring you carefully selected stories with the context, analysis, and historical perspective you need to truly understand what's happening to protect yourself (and others!) in the digital space.Topics covered include:• Privacy tool updates and vulnerabilities• Data breaches and cybersecurity incidents• Surveillance technology and government overreach• Big Tech privacy policies and practices• Encryption and security standards• Digital rights legislation and court cases• Open-source software developments• Corporate data practices and accountabilityWhether you're a beginner trying to stay informed or a seasoned expert tracking the ecosystem, Surveillance Report has Explicit All Innovation Dante McClain & Keenan Hart All Innovation is the podcast where groundbreaking ideas meet transformative technology. Hosted by Dante McClain and Keenan Hart, we explore the intersection of thought leadership and tech innovation, featuring stories from visionaries shaping the future.From bold concepts in leadership and creativity to breakthroughs in AI, wellness, and beyond, each episode uncovers the ideas and tools redefining how we think, work, and live. Perfect for curious minds, tech enthusiasts, and forward-thinking leaders, All Innovation delivers conversations that inspire and challenge the way you see the world.Join Dante and Keenan to push the boundaries of thought and technology—one episode at a time. Explicit

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Technology Blows?

This episode is 1 hour and 7 minutes long.

When was this Technology Blows episode published?

This episode was published on January 14, 2026.

What is this episode about?

The web didn't have to be this way. Friend-of-the-pod CJ Horton joins us for a look at cookies: the completely reasonable web protocol that became host to the parasitic ad industry.References:"Lou Montulli: Sexiest Internet Mogul." People. 15...

Is there a transcript available for this episode?

Yes, a full transcript is available for this episode. You can read the complete transcript on the episode page.

Can I download this Technology Blows episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.
URL copied to clipboard!