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Your Comcast DVR Is Watching You
Literally
Comcast senior VP of user experience Gerard Kunkel tells New Tee Vee Comcast is experimenting with embedding cameras in your DVR or cable box, allowing the company to know exactly who is watching what, at what time. In theory this would allow them to dial up user age/gender specific ads depending who is in the room (the "holy grail" of advertising, says Kunkel). Kunkel sold the idea of the technology being useful as a parental control mechanism, and says it would use facial recognition:
quote:
Kunkel said the system wouldn’t be based on facial recognition, so there wouldn’t be a picture of you on file (we hope). Instead, it would distinguish between different members of your household by recognizing body forms. He stressed that the system is still in the experimental phase, that there hasn’t been consumer testing, and that any rollout “must add value” to the viewing experience beyond serving ads.
It's hard to think that any consumer in their right mind would consent to Comcast watching them, watching Comcast.

Most recommended from 139 comments


mikenolan7
Premium Member
join:2005-06-07
Torrance, CA

6 recommendations

mikenolan7

Premium Member

Comcast DVR

I want one now! Every time a commercial comes on I'm going to get up, drop my drawers, and moon that camera. You want to see what's going on in my living room? I'll show you the Holy Grail.

gatorkram
Need for Speed
Premium Member
join:2002-07-22
Winterville, NC

3 recommendations

gatorkram

Premium Member

WTF?

What else can you say to something like this, but WTF?

loadmaster
join:2001-01-10
San Jose, CA

2 recommendations

loadmaster

Member

Time for a cardboard dummy

I'll just create a cardboard dummy like in the Star Trek episode the Corbomite Maneuver.