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When Personalization Runs Amuck

Posted by Hemos on from the swf-or-not dept.

pamar writes "According to this article from the Wall Street Journal, your TiVo could definitely get the wrong impression about your interests, or even your sexual preferences. And what you need to do to get "a clean slate"? Most of the users who have been "targeted" by TiVo usually try to "correct" the profiling by showing an abnormal interest in something wildly different." Yep, it's a dupe.

3 of 198 comments (clear)

  1. the perils of profiling by the_Upsetter · · Score: 2, Interesting
    It's very hard to create a composite sketch of people based on behaviour (too narrow). But, you'd be suprised how easy it is to make this same sketch from spatial data.

    I work for a rather large GIS software company, and one of our larger clients is responsible for most of the dead tree junkmail you get in your mailbox. How do they figure out that you would likely buy a Lexus/are looking to refinance your mortgage/want to join a health club?

    simple... PRISM

    put your zip code in there and see how accurately your spending/watching habits are reflected. Perhaps TiVo should ditch their "personal" profiling for regional profiling.

    --
    the most mysterious thing you'll see today
  2. Delete dupes by Plug · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Look Slashdot, if you're going to post duplicates, and then edit them a few comments later to say "Yep, it's a dupe", why not just delete the article?

    The discussion has happened and can continue to happen in the original article. A few people will know you fouled up - but who cares, this way everyone knows you fouled up by duping and aren't doing anything remotely editorial at all!

  3. Not just TiVo; ever tried resetting Amazon I.Recs? by caveman · · Score: 2, Interesting
    Never, ever, let anyone else browse Amazon from your system (especially if you're mad enough to leave their 1-click(TM) shopping switched on). Allowing my sister to browse has so buggered up my music recomendations that I can't find anything worth buying any more. Ugh! Ergh! That terrible sound, I can't get it out of my head... Remind me to do it to her some day...

    Mind you, when people leave their desktops logged in at the office, I sometimes set their Google Language Prefernces to Klingon (ja'chuqmeH Usenet ghommeyvaD yInej 'ej yIlegh.) or "Elmer Fudd" (De web owganized by topic into categowies)