Microsoft files a patent for the most invasive of all adware systems
July 18th 2007 02:29
Read the Ars Technica article!
It describes an adware system that looks through your hard drive to see what you might want to buy. It'll live in your OS, or integrated into your hardware, but it'll be there - lurking under the surface of a wave of binary information.
"The adware framework would leave almost no data untouched in its quest to sell you stuff. It would inspect "user document files, user e-mail files, user music files, downloaded podcasts, computer settings, computer status messages (e.g., a low memory status or low printer ink)," and more."
The point is: when you buy something, you'll pay to have it serve you advertising, as well as invade your privacy. Neato!
For example, if you've got pictures of teddy bears on your hard drive, ads for teddy bears will come up. You listen to jazz? Ads for tickets to upcoming jazz concerts.
What if you're reading some subversive literature, banned in the state? Maybe the ad will pop up, but also send a little packet of information about you to a government watchlist.
Am I paranoid? Perhaps. But when did we become slaves to our machines?
| 68 |
| Vote |
Add To: 
subscribe to this blog
Comment by Ahmed
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
This isjust typical patenting, don't expect it to go nowhere.
Comment by Cibbuano
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
do you mean that it will go somewhere?
Comment by The Hatter
Caffeine Madness
Comment by Ahmed
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
In this day and age people just take out aptents for the sake of it, better from a legal standpoint apparently.
Comment by Cibbuano
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
Comment by Ahmed
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
Funny thing is that this has already been done in Australia and pretty much everywhere else in the world, only in the US do they have these inane laws.