The Privacy-Utility Trade-Off of Location Tracking in Ad Personalization
Firms collect vast amounts of behavioral and geographical data on individuals. While behavioral data captures an individual's digital footprint, geographical data reflects their physical footprint. Given the significant privacy risks associated with combining these data sources, it is crucial to understand their respective value and whether they act as complements or substitutes in achieving firms' business objectives. In this paper, we combine economic theory, machine learning, and causal inference to quantify the value of geographical data, the extent to which behavioral data can substitute for it, and the mechanisms through which it benefits firms. Using data from a leading in-app adve...
| Authors | Mohammad Mosaffa, Omid Rafieian |
|---|---|
| Primary category | econ.EM |
| Published | 12 March 2026 |
| Last updated at source | 12 March 2026 |
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