THE ADCHECKME FIELD GUIDE
A little understanding.
A lot more control.
Clear explanations for the ads you encounter, with practical steps and links to the people who build the systems.
Have a particular ad in mind?
Start with its explanation. We’ll help you make sense of what it says.
Start with your question.
8 PRACTICAL GUIDESContextual or personalized? Two ways an ad can find you
A relevant ad can reflect the page you’re reading, information about you, or both. Here’s how to tell what you actually know.
Why a product seems to follow you around
Understand retargeting, customer lists, and the difference between a plausible connection and a confirmed one.
How an ad can know your area
Local ads can use several kinds of location information. Learn what a city-level match does—and does not—reveal.
A practical guide to Google’s ad controls
Use My Ad Center, understand Partner ad settings, and separate ad personalization from saved account activity.
Find your Facebook and Instagram ad controls
Read the ad explanation, navigate changing Meta labels, and choose controls for advertiser activity and unwanted ads.
Why you keep seeing the same ad
Separate repetition, retargeting, and failed blocking—and find the control that addresses the actual problem.
Hide, block, or report an ad: choose the right action
A practical way to handle unwanted or misleading advertising without visiting its destination or sharing unnecessary personal information.
What cookies and Incognito can—and can’t—change
Understand the difference between browser storage, private browsing, account history, and advertising preferences.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
How did we get here?
Follow the shift from keyword ads to audience explanations and today’s privacy controls.
Explore the advertising timelineOUR APPROACH
Sources over speculation.
We link platform documentation, label fictional examples, and keep what’s known separate from what’s possible.
Read our editorial approach