It’s the future as seen in Steven Spielberg’s “Minority Report,” but it’s happening in the here and now: advertisers and retailers tracking your every move.
In the Tom Cruise blockbuster, that tracking was done via optical recognition whenever his character walked into a Gap or walked by certain ads; in the case of the cable company Charter Communications, the tracking will be done every time you click on a favorite website.
Broadband Reports first dug up the emails that were sent by Charter to its high-speed subscribers notifying them of the “enhanced online experience” they’re about to enjoy, all made possible by technology inserted into ISP networks that tracks browsing habits and allows providers to target ads. Charter says its customers won’t be getting personalized ads or more ads altogether, just ads that “better reflect the interests you express through your web-surfing activities.”
And that’s not personal? The arguments are already being primed by privacy advocates.
Broadband Reports gives props to Charter for at least emailing its subscribers with the news, but then turning the opt-out process into a comedy routine.
Wired’s Threat Level blog goes into more detail about this technology and Charter’s reaction to questions about privacy concerns. Some of the comments on Broadband Reports talk about the lack of rewards for allowing this look at your surfing habits, and therein lies the future of this technology. As it stands now, some customers might not raise a stink about this if there is simply the promise of an “enhanced online experience.” If that experience includes coupons, discounts and giveaways, then the line for those ready to trade their Internet rights for goodies could look like opening night for a Spielberg blockbuster.
Read [Broadband Reports] Read [Threat Level]
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