The Register has reported that Google is planning to record background noise using your computer’s microphone, match this noise (say from tv or radio) to the correct program, and then serve up targeted ads relevant to the program you’re watching or listening to. Is it just me or is this the civil liberties equivalent of Iran developing a nuclear energy program? (gee, worst case scenario, is there anything that could go wrong?) the Register article is here
September 4, 2006
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Sounds absolutely freaky. This must be an invasion of privacy requiring the browser to consent to anything along these lines being “finger printed” and recorded.
More worrying though, is how this sort of technology could be used outside of the Google Advert/Content context. Imagaine the technology being used by less scrupulous groups as “spyware”…….Civil Liberties Activists get to work!
Comment by mjblazic — September 9, 2006 @ 1:53 am
Google has built its success on being the user’s company…the anti microsoft geeks et al. Yet since its stock listing, it is becoming more evident to me that they are now doing what all good companies do, ignore the community and make money…hmmmm
Comment by ashell — September 28, 2006 @ 9:36 am