Google patents a system that can analyze online gamer habbits (even those on consoles) |
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Okay, this may cause some alarmists to scream "Big Brother!" so before all the speculation, here are the known details - just so all you privacy advocates can relax a bit.
Google has filed a patent that reveals that they plan to compile psychological profiles of millions of gamers by covertly monitoring the way they play online games. Now you may think that this only concerns folks who play MMOs on their PCs, however, the patent apparently says that Google can also monitor people playing on any game console that hooks up to the internet, including the Sony PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, and Microsoft Xbox 360.
What's even more hair-raising is that it says that information could be retrieved from previous game details saved on memory cards. To quote: "Such saved information may be thought of state information, and offers a valuable source of information to the advertisers." Yes, if you've played 350 hours of Oblivion, they'll know. Yep, the patent is that creepy; it even says:
In a car racing game, after a user crashes his Honda Civic, an announcer could be used to advertise by saying 'if he had a Hummer, he would have gotten the better of that altercation', etc... If the user has been playing for over two hours continuously, the system may display ads for Pizza Hut, Coke, coffee.
Now here's why we're asking all those privacy advocates to calm down and not cry foul. Google has said that they do not plan to roll out the technology in the near future. They say that it was just one of the patents that they wanted to file. The Guardian reports that a Google spokesman had this to say: "Google registers different patents irrespective of whether we actually intend to use them."
So no, Big Brother, er, I mean, Google isn't watching you. Not yet. *insert cheesy B-movie sci-fi music* It's not paranoia if they're really out to get you.
Via The Guardian
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Comments
This is super creepy !!! Google is starting to go too far !!!
The word "habbits" is actually spelled "habits". Just a little heads up.
I wonder how many people will actually get the 1984 reference. Sorry kids, He is not talking about the tv show.
Too bad for Google that you can no longer defend a patent without utilizing it in a verifiably commercial capacity. Yay for a little patent progress.
the movie 1984 was weird
It amuses me how QJ posts an article saying how evil Google is, while littered with links to Live Search. It just shows how even Google are saints in comparison to Microsoft.
Google might want to collect lots of data but I can't see a way for them to get access to my memory card without my permission. And if I give the permission it's not so scary anymore... Sounds like media hype to me.
the US patent system shows us how flawed it is. This is a legal mine field I'd imagine if it ever took hold. I don't imagine Nintendo or MS sending out save game data to Google, but I could see Sony doing it. But really, this is unlikely to come to fruition.
I really don't mind in-game advertising, as it makes it feel more realistic, but shouldn't that advertising bring down the prices of games? I'm tired of new games costing $60 a pop...
if google is not a government opp i dont know what is. Google got its seed money from the c.i.a anyway so it does not shock me at all. google can see you with web cams when you dont know on the new apple computers.
Google is by far the best company ever ^-^
My god what have we created!?!!!111
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