Web Based Targeted Advertising: A Study Based on Patent Information

Over the past two decades, rapid developments in the field of information and communication technologies (ICT) have resulted in an increased reach and use of internet by the general public. Building on these advances, a rapid development of e-commerce has taken place which has resulted in the emergence of Internet as an important medium for advertising. Through a variety of technological advances, the Internet has allowed advertisers to address a targeted audience which in general was beyond the reach of traditional media. The Internet thus offers opportunities for advertisers to present advertisements to a captive audience based on various criteria. Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) on the other hand, help protect technologies via various means. The advancements made in field of information technology coupled with business methods can be protected by patents. Patent rights prevent others from practicing (making, using or selling) a claimed invention in a particular territory for a limited time during the life of the patent. Patents often are the first and many a times, the only source in which technology is revealed. Thus patents can act as important techno-legal documents, containing various different kinds of information related to technology and/or its advancements. In the present study, patents are used as source of information to understand how advancements in ICTs has influenced business and more particularly how the ICT is being used for internet based targeted advertising. (C) 2014 Published by Elsevier B.V.