Coming to TV: ads about you

["Richard M. Smith" <rms () computerbytesman com>]

Are cable boxes the next target for spyware?

Richard

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20051117.wxhyperads17/BNP
rint/Business/
 
Coming to TV: ads about you
By KEITH MCARTHUR 

Thursday, November 17, 2005 Posted at 4:41 AM EST
> From Wednesday's Globe and Mail

When you watch your favourite program in the not-too-distant future, your TV
could be watching back.

Cable companies are preparing to install software on digital set-top boxes
that will keep track of everything you watch. Coupling that information with
your address, the software would estimate your age, gender, interests and
income.

The result? Advertisers could send different commercials to different
viewers.

...

It could be years before the technology comes to Canada, but two U.S. cable
companies are planning to roll it out early next year.

The concept will likely raise red flags from privacy advocates, and its
implications are enormous.

Advertisers would be able to make sure the right ads are seen by the right
people, challenging the old industry saying: "I know half my advertising
dollars are wasted. I just don't know which half."

Leading the charge is Invidi Technologies Corp., which is finalizing deals
with two U.S. cable companies to install its software and begin
"hypertargeting" ads early next year.

The company, now based in Princeton, N.J., was founded in Edmonton, where
half of its engineers are still headquartered.

Invidi president David Downey was in Toronto this week to promote the
software at a meeting of the Cable and Telecommunications Association for
Marketing.

It's astounding how quickly and accurately the Invidi software can come up
with a demographic profile of a household and its members, Mr. Downey said
during a panel discussion on the topic. 

"Our goal is to have this software in every set-top box in the world . . ."
Mr. Downey said. "There's no one else that's doing what we're doing."

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