TO Nory and all of the others that use Web-TV A little note for you
Subject: [NEWS] WebTV sends 1984 chills
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1998 08:28:39 -0400
<http://insanely-great.com/news/98/10/news15.html#1984>
Microsoft's WebTV Network's Inc. today revealed that its WebTV product
reports back each night on its subscribers television and web site viewing
habits.
"We have a whole department that does nothing but look at the information.
If someone is watching a car ad and clicks through, we can send them to
the
closest car dealership Web site," WebTV president Steve Perlman said. "The
balance is providing advertisers with useful information while still
protecting the subscribers."
The data sent back is categorized by Zip code, making it easier for
advertisers to target subscribers. However, some have concerns about the
practice, especially since TCI and other cable companies are expected to
deploy more than 5 million WebTV-related set-top boxes running Windows CE
and using the Solo chip.
"I don't think people understand the extent of this. It's recording
everything they do. This is like having a video camera on them 24 hours a
day," said Tom Rheinlander, an analyst at Forrester Research Inc,
recalling
the TV's that spied on people's thoughts from the dystopian novel 1984.
=-=
from USA Today
<http://www.usatoday.com/life/cyber/zd/zd7.htm>
Larry B. Macy, Ph.D.
macy@bblmail.psycha.upenn.edu
System Administrator/Manager
Neuropsychiatry Section
Department of Psychiatry
University of Pennsylvania
3400 Spruce St. - 10 Gates
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Voice mail 215 662-2890
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