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Google Patents Detecting, Tracking, Targeting Kids
theodp writes "A newly-issued Google patent for Rendering Advertisements With Documents Having One or More Topics Using User Topic Interest describes how to detect the presence of children by 'using evidence of sophistication determined using user actions' and tracking their behavior using the Google Toolbar and other methods to deliver targeted ads. Which is interesting, since the Google Terms of Service supposedly prohibit the use of Services by anyone 'not of legal age.' The inventor is Google Principal Scientist Krishna Bharat, who is a co-inventor of another pending Google patent for inferring searchers' ethnicity, reading level, age, sex and income (and storing it all)." Ok I'll be the first to admit that this is greek to me. Someone smart figure this out and post a comment translating patentese into english.
Ok I'll be the first to admit that this is greek to me. Someone smart figure this out and post a comment translating patentese into english.
Well, if it was a patent from Microsoft, it would mean the instant someone performed a search, if they were a child they would be put in forced contact with a sex offender. Adults just get kicked in the genitals.
But since it's Google, I assume it means that if someone performs a search and they were a child, colorful balloons fall from the ceiling and magical unicorns whisk them instantly away to Disneyland.
Comment of the year
Not only are they an Evil 'modern mega-Advertising Machine', they completely suppress the little guy in business by giving away services and software using the huge revenue from this evil activity. How is anyone supposed to make a living offering products and services like online email, apps, mapping, etc. by giving them away for nothing? How would Google like it if I was to set up a company funded by huge profits from some other activity to give away advertising on people's web pages for free?