Google has announced the launch of “Interest-based” advertising as a beta. Here’s what Google says about three important features of interest-based advertising:

- Transparency – We already clearly label most of the ads provided by Google on the AdSense partner network and on YouTube. You can click on the labels to get more information about how we serve ads, and the information we use to show you ads. This year we will expand the range of ad formats and publishers that display labels that provide a way to learn more and make choices about Google’s ad serving.

- Choice – We have built a tool called Ads Preferences Manager, which lets you view, delete, or add interest categories associated with your browser so that you can receive ads that are more interesting to you.

- Control – You can always opt out of the advertising cookie for the AdSense partner network here. To make sure that your opt-out decision is respected (and isn’t deleted if you clear the cookies from your browser), we have designed a plug-in for your browser that maintains your opt-out choice.

So, it seems we’re getting closer towards respecting people’s preferences and asking for permission. Still a way to go on the privacy front. Of course if the ads are truly relevant we won’t recognise them as ads at all.