Watching You Watching Me

Generali

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9fb_slBEJ0

https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20150727/18592631769/vizio-latest-manufacturer-to-offer-more-ways-tvs-to-watch-purchasers.shtml

Vizio is the latest consumer electronics manufacturer to announce -- publicly, but not, like, PR-onslaught publicly -- that its TVs will be watching purchasers as much as purchasers are watching them. The details of its strategy to generate the most ROI from each and every purchaser willing to blow past the fine print during setup are contained in the company's SEC filing for its debut as a public company. Engadget's Richard Lawler has the details.

According to the filing, Vizio has sold more than 15 million smart TVs, with about 61 percent of them connected as of the end of June. While viewers are benefiting from those connections, streaming over 3 billion hours of content, Vizio says it's watching them too, with Inscape software embedded in the screens that can track anything you're playing on it -- even if it's from cable TV, videogame systems and streaming devices.

What's curious about the wording isn't the gung ho appropriation of viewer data to sell to advertisers. What's curious is Vizio's claim that "anonymized data" will result in "more relevant and personalized content" for purchasers. There may be a certain level of anonymity involved, but Vizio still needs to provide enough defining demographic data to make this information worth purchasing. There is some value in general data like number of viewers of specific content at certain times, but Nielsen has done this sort of thing for years and it's a huge stretch to call anything about TV advertising "personal" or "relevant." So, there's something a bit off about the anonymization claims Vizio is making here.

I get it that if I use Facebook or Google or The Telegraph for 'free' then they will want to make money off me by using my browsing preferences to sell directed ads to me (as John Prescott found out to his cost)

What kinda annoys me is that if I buy a TV with my own money, this is not a TV that is being sold cheaply or given away, then I am treated as a revenue stream to be milked.

wymondham

the new way to sell .... ongoing costs rather than one off payments. its occurring all over especially software subscription....


I've got to ask Gen, what is it with Aussies going round beating up sharks by punching them? you lot are well hard!!!

Mistermeaner

I could be wrong but i don't think advertising works on me, targetted or otherwise.

Out,_Vile_Jelly

I'm glad I'm a Luddite and still have a moron-telly and moron-phone.

I find it annoying when I've been browsing stuff online and bought something, and then ads for that item follow me around the internet like a whiny child. I've already bought it! Shut up!

Generali

wymondham wrote: »

the new way to sell .... ongoing costs rather than one off payments. its occurring all over especially software subscription....


I've got to ask Gen, what is it with Aussies going round beating up sharks by punching them? you lot are well hard!!!

Well I'm not an Aussie, I'm just a ring in.

With that shark, it's highly unusual for people to be attacked by sharks however juveniles are inquisitive beggurs and will come to check you out. They do it with the most sensitive part of their body, their mouth. Unfortunately their mouths are also full of very sharp teeth.

chucknorris

Generali wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9fb_slBEJ0

https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20150727/18592631769/vizio-latest-manufacturer-to-offer-more-ways-tvs-to-watch-purchasers.shtml



I get it that if I use Facebook or Google or The Telegraph for 'free' then they will want to make money off me by using my browsing preferences to sell directed ads to me (as John Prescott found out to his cost)

What kinda annoys me is that if I buy a TV with my own money, this is not a TV that is being sold cheaply or given away, then I am treated as a revenue stream to be milked.

You think that he would have spotted the connection, for example when I log onto my yahoo mail account it always shows adverts for things like trainers, caravans, camping and prostitutes etc. Only joking of course, I don't like camping that much.

It was only the other day I said to my wife that this could catch someone out, but the scenario that I highlighted was 'say you are at work and your line manager notices job adverts on your computer screen'.

wotsthat

Mistermeaner wrote: »

I could be wrong but i don't think advertising works on me, targetted or otherwise.

Nothing you do or buy has been influenced by advertising or marketing or by interacting with someone that has?

What's your secret?

chucknorris

Mistermeaner wrote: »

I could be wrong but i don't think advertising works on me, targetted or otherwise.

I think that you probably are wrong, maybe it has a limited influence on you, I too like to think that I buy things, rather than someone sells me something. But I reckon advertising does reach everyone (including me), but probably with a very wide range of influence.

onlyroz

Sounds a bit like Skynet.

Generali

onlyroz wrote: »

Sounds a bit like Skynet.

No consciousness. A Skynet would require consciousness, not just a camera on a TV.

Mistermeaner

wotsthat wrote: »

Nothing you do or buy has been influenced by advertising or marketing or by interacting with someone that has?

What's your secret?

I'm completely pig ignorant as to everything thats going on around me. Hate everything and rarely spend money.