Electronic Freedom Foundation to the Rescue!

The Electronic Freedom Foundation (EFF) and (to their credit) Google have developed some options for countering Google's cyberstalking advertising initiative. While it is not an opt-in program, which would be best for users and terrible for Google because few people really want to be watched like this, it is something. Like all good placading gestures, the options offered rely on the initiative of the public to go to some effort to thwart the harvesting of their web browsing behavior.

Get the full EFF break down of this issue. Then consider if you want to avail yourself of the "Advertising Cookie Opt-Out Plugin" - even the name takes work. You may also influence how the stacks of data they gather about what you appear to like on the web is used with the Google "Ad Preferences Manager Tool".

So, in summary, Google will follow you everywhere all the time unless you get an opt-out restraining order. But, at least you can get a restraining order.

Oh, and please consider supporting the EFF in some way. I have donated in the past. They do great work helping the web-using public protect themselves.