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Data Mining Amazon.com Wish Lists

Dr. Webster writes "In his article "Data Mining 101: Finding Subversives with Amazon Wishlists," Tom Owad of Applefritter outlines a way in which one could build detailed personal profiles of hundreds of thousands of U.S. citizens in a matter of hours. Reading habits, personal tastes and even political party affiliation could be inferred from the results, and through the use of Yahoo! People and Google Maps, one could even map out geographically where people with certain interests or affiliations live, down to their address. Most surprisingly, the process of doing this is completely legal, and doesn't even violate Amazon's Conditions of Use."

2 of 183 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Mining voluntary information on a public websit by Rei · · Score: 5, Funny

    Profile for Jaish al Ashurah ] Wishlist

    Wishlist

    This list is for: Jaish Al Ashurah
    Birthday: None Entered
    Shipping Address: Private
    Unique Facts: A shadu la ilaha illah Allah

    Total items: 10

    "The Anarchist's Cookbook" by William Powell
    "Improvised Explosives: How To Make Your Own" by Seymour Lecker
    "Ultimate Sniper: An Advanced Training Manual For Military And Police Snipers" by John Plaster
    "Crusades Through Arab Eyes" by Amin Maalouf
    "The Protocols of the Meetings of the Learned Elders of Zion With Preface and Explanatory Notes" by Sergius Nilus, Henry Ford, and Victor E. Marsden.
    "Explosive Dusts: Advanced Improvised Explosives" by Seymour Lecker
    "Creative Cloth Doll Making: New Approaches for Using Fibers, Beads, Dyes, And Other Exciting Techniques" by Patti Medaris Culea.
    "The Tragedy of Karbala" by M.A. Naquvi
    "51 Documents: Zionist Collaboration With the Nazis" by Lenni Brenner
    "How to Build a Nuclear Bomb: And Other Weapons Of Mass Destruction" by Frank Barbaby

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    South Park pokes fun at sacred cows to make a point. Family guy pokes cows to hear them moo.
  2. Re:I see by psykocrime · · Score: 4, Funny

    So THAT'S why I'm on the no-fly list

    No, that's because you ordered those Paladin Press, Delta Press, and IMS catalogs.

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    // TODO: Insert Cool Sig