Google has unveiled a new advertising initiative that shows ads to users depending on their previous web browsing habits.
The content of these interest-based ads rely on information on the user's interests pulled from data on visited sites and viewed pages, with these subject areas then linked to the user's browser.
Web users can edit or remove categories using Google's Ads Preferences Manager tool.
The search engine also announced that it is stepping up its work to assure user privacy and ad transparency, including the labelling of more ads served by Google and the launch of a plug-in that keeps users opted out of AdSense ads even if they delete the cookies required to enable this.
"Our advertisers and publisher partners have been asking us for a long time to offer interest-based advertising," said Susan Wojcicki, vice-president of product management at Google.
In related news, Google was one of several organisations that signed up a set of guidelines regarding behaviourally-targeted ads compiled by the Internet Advertising Bureau last week.
Other companies that agreed to follow the Good Practice Principles included AOL, Microsoft, Yahoo!, Phorm, NebuAd and Specific Media, among others.
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