The Next Frontier of Consumer Exploitation By Corporations 166
First time accepted submitter alisonuw writes "So what if Google knows where I'm planning my next vacation and suggests hotels for me? Sure, it's creepy, but is there really any harm in companies tracking my info to target ads to me? Professor Ryan Calo (UW law) is out with a new paper that demonstrates the real harm behind these practices, making consumers vulnerable to making decisions that go against their self-interest (ie: predatory lending, price inflation, etc). The Atlantic has an article today that outlines the new research."
obvious (Score:2, Interesting)
You need a paper to demonstrate that other people making decisions for you is not necessarily in your best interest? Seriously?
And yes, they make the decisions. You are a fool if you think that it's just suggestions. I've worked in corporate environments long enough to know that the people who "prepare" the decision are really the ones making it, because by the selection you make, the way you present the alternatives and the data you choose to use or discard, you can pretty much make sure that any of the choices left is in your interest.
It's much more than that ... (Score:1, Interesting)
Oh come on, other people are not making decisions for you just because they show you an advertisement
If you think everything boils down to mere advertisement, you gonna have some big ones coming to ya !
Many times by NOT making decision you already made one, and those who are in the field know very well how to put people on the spot and, even without blinking an eyelid, the future of the sheeples have already been pre-arranged
In store tracking (Score:5, Interesting)
If you linger in the baby aisle, expect to get baby ads and coupons without asking for them. You might even find out your teenage daughter is pregnant from coupons you get. [forbes.com]
Very intrusive: Get served ads to your phone and all devices based on store browsing and the kind of stores. You have no choice to opt out.
Medium intrusive: Get asked if you would like coupons for what they think you like. Ads on devices or apps that are ad supported are targeted.
Low level: You get coupons on your receipt based on your walking pattern and habits. (this already happens)
Future exploitation, the terrifying final form.
Location based A.I. scans your physical body for any and all brand name clothing. Tied into the parking lot cameras, it logs your car and plate number. Using sets of data (The estimated outfit cost, car value, car color psychological assessment, insurance carrier) it evaluates your income bracket and psychological profile.
A.I. scans all store records for purchases that match what you are wearing. If the purchases is detected to have not been made at the store, coupons and ads targeted at those articles are sent (You too can get Feragamo shoes here).
Each time you stop, the time and location and nearby goods are noted. Any regular walking patterns are logged. If you walk the same pattern every time, the lcd screens change to ads targeting you along your route.
As you approach merchandise displays, eye tracker record what items you look at and what in the adverts your eyes followed.
As follows: 15seconds female cleavage, 5seconds product, 1second dog.
Unregulated
Re:It's much more than that ... (Score:5, Interesting)
I had to work with unemployed people quite a bit in my life. It's fascinating how they are being pressed into "jobs" for ... well, whatever the economy currently needs. No matter whether they can do it, whether they have any kind of affinity with it or whether they are absolutely unsuitable for it.
Over here, to keep your unemployment money, you have to jump through the hoops presented to you. So people do it. You get sent to various training courses that change in interesting ways over time. About 10 years ago, everyone was sent to a "web designer" and "network administration" class. Today, they prefer to send people to classes dealing with nursing and geriatric care. Again, whether the people have any kind of social skill, whether they can actually lift weights that easily pass the 100 lbs (or 200 lbs, depending on the person they have to lug around), whether they have any kind of affinity with it, doesn't matter.
People are exchangeable. And expendable.
Nothing (Score:5, Interesting)
Me? I pick my poison. I'd rather have a strong central gov't I can at least try to influence and use. Maybe if we can get the schools to indoctrinate kids on the importance of democratic participation instead of the intrinsic beauty of capitalism....
Re:Does It Matter If Companies Are Tracking Us ? (Score:4, Interesting)
But Calo also offers another option: "Imagine," he writes, "if major platforms such as Facebook and Google were obligated, as a matter of law or best practice, to offer a paid version of their service."
I thought about a parallel to that a while ago: imagine having free/paid versions of an app. The paid version has no tracking/advertising, and the price is continually adjusted so that 50% of the users choose to pay and 50% choose advertising/tracking. At that point you would actually know the median value of privacy.
Or you could just dig through the financials of CVS drugstores: you can get a prescription drug discount plan there, but it requires you to waive your HIPAA privacy rights (signature required every year) to access it. It's popularity (if the plan isn't withdrawn because of bad PR) should say much the same thing.