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London Recycling Bins Were Tracking Passers By
In an age where everything is connected and location data mining is a largely an unregulated goldmine, it shouldn't be too surprising to see that London has had to shelve a program whereby street recycling bins were being used to track the cellphones of users that passed by. The large bins, which were on sidewalks and embedded with large LED displays, used location data to track users and offer custom ads to regular walkers (more specifically MAC addresses) the bins "recognized." London urged the company behind the bins to suspend the program after consumers became aware of and slightly creeped out by the semi-sentient garbage cans.
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Mike
Mod
join:2000-09-17
Pittsburgh, PA

Mike

Mod

Where is the street justice?

"Yesterday, some hooligans knocked over a dustbin in Shaftesbury." - Bill Hicks

broad bands

Anon

Re: Where is the street justice?

Perhaps these hooligans were just ahead of their time...

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

2 edits

FFH5

Premium Member

The trash bins are watching you

The trash bins are watching you. Sort of a cross between a trash can; travel kiosk; and Google ad purveyor.





The company that put that technology in trash cans also uses it in stores too. Statement of the company's CEO:
»renewlondon.com/2013/08/ ··· -memari/

How the trash can tracks people:

»www.youtube.com/watch?v= ··· 171lsODU
tmc8080
join:2004-04-24
Brooklyn, NY

tmc8080

Member

incase you were unaware...

London is just one big Spy Shoppe.. nothing much else of consequence goes on there (sarcasm/satire)

N10Cities
Premium Member
join:2002-05-07
0000000

N10Cities

Premium Member

"Minority Report", here we come....

Just waiting for someone to announce the invention of public eye scanners any time now...

aaronwt
Premium Member
join:2004-11-07
Woodbridge, VA
Asus RT-AX89

aaronwt

Premium Member

Re: "Minority Report", here we come....

said by N10Cities:

Just waiting for someone to announce the invention of public eye scanners any time now...

Sounds perfect to me. I would much prefer targeted advertising like in minority report than what they have today that targets everyone with the same thing.

Anonymous_
Anonymous
Premium Member
join:2004-06-21
127.0.0.1

Anonymous_ to N10Cities

Premium Member

to N10Cities
said by N10Cities:

Just waiting for someone to announce the invention of public eye scanners any time now...

sun glasses would be come extremely popular

tshirt
Premium Member
join:2004-07-11
Snohomish, WA

tshirt

Premium Member

London already is blanketed with security cameras

If you went to London for privacy, boy, did you choose the wrong place.

StuartMW
Premium Member
join:2000-08-06

1 recommendation

StuartMW

Premium Member

Feed me

Reminds me of "Audrey" in "The Little Shop of Horrors" movie.

"Feed me! Feed me!"

although in this case its MAC addresses instead of blood

aaronwt
Premium Member
join:2004-11-07
Woodbridge, VA

aaronwt

Premium Member

I wish they would do this in the US...

If i am going to have an advertisement pushed at me, i would rather it be something I am interested in.

carpetshark3
Premium Member
join:2004-02-12
Idledale, CO

carpetshark3

Premium Member

Re: I wish they would do this in the US...

said by aaronwt:

If i am going to have an advertisement pushed at me, i would rather it be something I am interested in.

Hate to tell them, but there is nothing usual I am interested in. Most of my interests are niche.
rradina
join:2000-08-08
Chesterfield, MO

rradina

Member

Is it Time for Regulation?

I think we're nearing a breaking point. Perhaps it's just me but between the on-screen television pop-ups, web-site pop-ups, in-app advertising on mobile phones and now recycle bins, isn't it about time to say enough is enough?

I still remember visiting Cancun for the first time in the early 90s. I was shocked at how what was billed as a tropical paradise was absolutely corrupted by signs. The trip from the airport to the strip was unbelievably packed with signs. It made me appreciate how most US communities regulate signs. Normally I'm not one who supports more regulation but without them, one-upmanship seems to guarantee no limit to the size and quantity of signs cluttering business districts. Equally so, I believe technology is the new frontier. It's created some sort of advertising drug and everyone who tries it is immediately hooked regardless of how ridiculous it might prove to be.
pb2k
join:2005-05-30
Calgary, AB

pb2k

Member

Slippery slope

Calgary uses the same type of technology to monitor traffic flow on our busiest road and provide travel times posted on electronic signs along the route. They say it's all anonymous and encrypted, but It's a slippery slope if they make an exception even once (for say proving a timeline in a murder trial).