Yes, but what really happens if you click the ad that keeps popping up when you sit in front of the PC playing your favourite game? One thing’s for certain – the chance of you winning an iPod is very small. However, the chance of those behind the ad registering your PC’s address and placing a cookie on your computer so that they can adapt their ads more precisely to your profile in the future is much greater.
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Clever tricks
Ads are around us everywhere and in many forms. Sometimes it’s obvious when an ad banner or ad window pops up when you’re
on the Internet. Then it’s clear what the ad’s advertising. Sometimes the ad can look like an ordinary article. Then you have
to be critical and look more closely to see that it really is an ad. Other times the ad is designed as a fun web page with
a game. In these cases, you probably don’t even think that the game is really meant to be an ad.
Free programs where you can play, draw, or do other fun stuff sometimes contain spy programs or viruses that damage your PC. Maybe your PC becomes sluggish, or maybe others are given access to your passwords or control over your webcam. Such programs can be difficult to detect and get rid of.
Free?
Maybe you or one of your friends has taken part in a poll using a mobile phone, or accepted new ring tones for your mobile
phone? Lots of people say yes to something that appears to be free. When the phone bill for Mum or Dad eventually arrives,
it appears that it cost money anyway. Often it can mean something far more long-term, for example, you find out you agreed
to buy several ring tones every month even though you thought you had bought a one-off ring tone. It won’t be long before
your prepayment card is empty.
You decide how you spend your time and your money.
