Chloe Albanesius writes in PC Magazine:
Targeting health conditions like cancer and sexually transmitted diseases would be off-limits to online marketers under new rules proposed by a group of Internet advertisers. Interest groups, however, were skeptical that the rules will go far enough, or that the government will take any meaningful steps to protect consumers online.
[…]
At issue are ads that are tailored to a user based on their Internet activity. The more you use the Web, the more information a company can gather on your surfing habits so that the ads you see are more likely to advertise something that might appeal to you. Theoretically, a sophisticated ad algorithm that noticed a user searching for “cancer support group” might conclude that the user had or was affected by cancer, and could place relevant ads in front of him or her.
Full story – PC Magazine