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Concerns Over Microsoft's Internet User Profiling

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the like-they-don't-already-know dept.

jcatcw writes "Microsoft research on Internet user profiling could lead to tools that help repressive regimes identify anonymous dissidents, the Reporters Without Borders advocacy group warned last Friday. Microsoft's new algorithms correctly guessed the gender of a Web surfer 80% of the time, and his or her age 60% of the time. "In China, it is conceivable that this type of technology would be used to spot Internet users who regularly access such 'subversive' content as news and information websites critical of the regime," the group said."

15 of 144 comments (clear)

  1. If I were head of an oppresive regime... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'd be uneasy about partnering with a bunch of totalitarian control freaks like Microsoft.

    1. Re:If I were head of an oppresive regime... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      That said, I reckon I could guess the gender of a web surfer 80% of the time.

      if (site.equals("slashdot.org")) male = true;
      else if (site.equals("cutepuppydogs.com")) male = false;

    2. Re:If I were head of an oppresive regime... by nschubach · · Score: 1, Funny

      Great.. I can see it now:

      Due to a recent trend in programming. Feminist groups have decided they don't like being referred to as !male. They demand rule defined paring of boolean values "male" and "female" where setting male to false would trigger female equality to true. More on this at 11.

      --
      Every time I start to have faith in humanity, I ruin it by driving to work between 7 and 8 am.
  2. oh noes! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Unless you happen to be the only 20-25 year old male in China I think you're safe.

  3. Here's my algorithm: by erroneous · · Score: 5, Funny

    If you read this post you are probably male. (80% correct)
    You are probably in the 20-35 age group. (60% correct)

    (I know I'll only get negative responses to this post of the type "I'm reading this and I'm a 47-year-old woman!" That's Ok. You're in the other bracket.)

    My algorithm is as good as Microsoft's. Can I have a research grant please?

    --
    erroneous: look me up in a dictionary
    1. Re:Here's my algorithm: by spellraiser · · Score: 4, Funny

      You got me pegged. Curse you!

      Can I have my privacy violation lawsuit settlement, please?

      --
      I hear there's rumors on the Slashdots
    2. Re:Here's my algorithm: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Are you trying to say that Slashdot is made up of mostly males!? And all this time I've been thinking this was a great place to meet chicks.

  4. Slashdot already has this feature by giafly · · Score: 2, Funny

    Microsoft's new algorithms correctly guessed the gender of a Web surfer 80% of the time, and his or her age 60% of the time.
    Just include {MERGE GENDER} and {MERGE AGE} in the comment area. For example...

    Your gender is ... MALE
    Your age is ... 18-30
    --
    Reduce, reuse, cycle
  5. Re:Poor accuracy by moderatorrater · · Score: 2, Funny

    We need to start actively throwing their algorithm off. If every one of us guys were to start visiting hellokitty.com and mypinkfluffybarbieplayingwithponies.com and all the women were to start reading slashdot, they wouldn't be able to tell us apart!

  6. Re:O Rly? by bahstid · · Score: 3, Funny

    think of the child^H^H nese!

  7. I know who it is! by Phat_Tony · · Score: 4, Funny

    Right, so they're about 50% sure that it's someone who's both male and aged 24-30, living in China. It should be easy to pick out the individual from there.

    --
    Can anyone tell me how to set my sig on Slashdot?
  8. Re:If you were a totalitatian regime by monk.e.boy · · Score: 2, Funny

    Hey! I live in the UK, where they can just look through my window with one of the ubiquitous CCTV cameras and just watch me browse the net...

    ...monitor my books, my mail...

    ...the rate at which I scratch my arse (there are by-laws that I won't go into, but let's just say if I do it more than 5 times in an hour and don't immediately go see the doctor, the para's turn up)...

    Microsoft are waaay behind.

    monk.e.boy

    --
    Open source, flash charts
  9. Re:I wonder ... by Bugs42 · · Score: 2, Funny

    99% male

    75% 18-30 years old

    100% single and living in Mom's basement

    Hey, look, I got even more data than MS! I'll take a check now, please.

    --
    Programmer: an ingenious device that converts caffeine into code.
  10. Re:Poor accuracy by MyOtherUIDis3digits · · Score: 3, Funny

    I'm already doing my part. While my surfing habits are definitely male-oriented, I'm sure they would determine me to be 14-16 tops.

    --
    Ignore anything I said above, I actually agree with everything you believe - mod accordingly.
  11. Re:O Rly? by Hatta · · Score: 2, Funny

    China is not in the same league as any nation in the west. China is a brutal, oppressive regime.

    You're right, the US is a kinder, gentler, oppressive regime.

    --
    Give me Classic Slashdot or give me death!