LOGO: Truthdig: Drilling Beneath the Headlines. A Progressive Journal of News and Opinion. Editor, Robert Scheer. Publisher, Zuade Kaufman.Best Political Blog Winner, 2007 Webby Awards, People's Voice and Jury.   Boots on the Ground by Dusk: My Tribute to Pat Tillman, By Mary Tillman with Narda Zacchino
 
July 24, 2008
Log in / Register

 Choose a size
Text Size

Reports
Obama on the Brink
No Easy Out for Obama
 * NEW! * Refighting the Vietnam War

Ear to the Ground

A/V Booth

Arts & Culture

Digs
Inside the Data Mine

Truthdig Bazaar
The Media Monopoly

The Media Monopoly

By Ben Bagdikian
$12.92

A Prayer for America

A Prayer for America

By Dennis Kucinich
$11.95

more items

 
Ear to the Ground

Google Wants to Listen to Your TV to Place Ads

Email this item Email    Print this item Print   
Posted on Jun 18, 2006
Google and privacy
Illustration: Karen Spector (original here)

OK, now this is getting just downright creepy: Google has apparently tested a system that allows your computer to “listen” to your TV, recognize what program you’re watching, and then serve up ads related to that show.

Freaked out? Check out Truthdig contributor (and Google book author) Mark Malseed on Google and privacy.

BBC:

A system that lets your computer “listen” to your television to create targeted web adverts has been designed and tested by researchers at Google.

The “mass personalization” system can identify a programme from as little as five seconds of sound.

It then presents related information or adverts in the web browser.

Google researchers believe it could also be used to monitor audience size or create social networks around viewers watching the same show.

Link

Email Newsletter

Get truth delivered to your inbox every week.

Previous item: DeLay and Abramoff's 'Made in the USA': Shame, Shame, Shame

Next item: Sanity: House Doesn't Up Funds for Abstinence-Only Programs

Jump to Comments

Advertisement


Elsewhere: .

Comments

Are you a Truthdig member yet? Login now, or register with Truthdig.

By Morley Young, June 19, 2006 at 11:42 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

Is this the same Google that lies down and rolls over when the government wants their files? Brrr!

Report this

By G. Anderson, June 18, 2006 at 10:05 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Since there are only a few shows worth watching during any given week, this will turn out to be a waste of time and effort.

Report this

By cg, June 18, 2006 at 11:20 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

This is truly frightening.
If they can listen to what you are watching on TV, what is to stop them or someone else from listening to you and what you are saying in the privacy of your own home. 
Could this be the first steps toward the “Telescreen”?

Report this

Add Your Comment

Posts by unregistered readers are moderated. Posts by members
are published immediately. Why wait? Register today!






Notify you when others comment on this article?


Are you a human?
Retype the word you see here.


Please read and abide by our comment policy.
By submitting this comment, you agree to this site's terms and conditions.

Newsletter

Get Truthdig in your inbox

Privacy Policy

 
Click here to advertise with Truthdig
 

 
Join the Liberal Blog Advertising Network
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A Progressive Journal of News and Opinion. Editor, Robert Scheer. Publisher, Zuade Kaufman.
Copyright © 2008 Truthdig, L.L.C. All rights reserved.