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Tivo keeps track of what you watch in this kind of detail? Whoa... I was considering buying one, but I think I'll take my chances building a MythTV box instead...

# posted by Sir Not Appearing in this Blog 10:38 AM

Here's what I don't get. OK, so TiVo has detailed info on what people are watching +in aggregate+, but so what? I know that this is supposed to be a major privacy thing, but I guess I just don't care if people know what I like to watch on TV. It's not like you'll find out that I belong to a secret cult or am plotting to overthrow the government. So you find out that I like the History channel and HBO and watch Saturday Night Live and the Apprentice. And if someone managed to show me commericals that were all gadgets and PCs and maybe good wine and the occasional fast car, then that might actually make me watch the ads too.

Where is the dark side?

# posted by Alice 10:49 AM

I don't think the aggregate data is the problem. It's just that to get to that aggregate TiVO must collect the information from individuals. If it knows how to do that, it knows how to identify individuals as well. I don't know about the rest of the world, but the last time I felt uncomfortable having someone stand behind me and checkout what I was watching on TV --no matter what the reason-- I moved out.

# posted by Bill 11:04 AM

As a long term geek I don't really care for hockey so I have never seen a superbowl, but i am glad to know that godaddy wasted money on such an ad, i almost transfered some sites to them, I can't support a company that has biz practices such as this.

# posted by Anonymous 2:23 PM

Biz practices such as these?

Yo! Didn't you see the article and graphic depicting the "SPIKE" when that commercial came on? Obviously someone (GoDaddy.com) made an effective commercial that captured interest and got their product name out there to the masses. To me that spells Very Effective "Biz Pratices".

Now, if you want to debate the morality of what their commercial depicted that is a different subject. I, personally thought the spot was pretty well made and very funny, though not very PC. Tounge in cheek humor is going to offend most of the time simply because you are poking fun of those that have displayed little tolerance for the subject at hand.

Bill has a good point about the possible invasive nature of such statistic gathering. Somewhere, somehow, someone will be drilling down to see my personal veiwing habits. If that is going to happen I should be informed of it beforehand and some way to compensate me for such intrusiveness should be on hand (ie lower TiVo costs or Neilson family checks).

# posted by wanebo 3:35 PM

Wanebo, you missed the point, supporting means, "do not approve", as in, there is too much pro sports crap out there, we've had enough of it.

# posted by Anonymous 3:55 PM

"As a long term geek I don't really care for hockey so I have never seen a superbowl"

..was that a joke?

# posted by Anonymous 5:53 PM

When you sign up to TiVo it explicitly asks if it can use your "agregate info". I suppose I trust them to not abuse my data.

Personally, I love the idea. Maybe TiVo can replace (or at least compliment) the Neilsons and maybe we would finally get some real information on what people watch.

On that pane, I'd love to see what percentage of TiVos overall were watching the game and what other things they were watching.

# posted by photowub 7:13 PM

Bill sez, "It's just that to get to that aggregate TiVO must collect the information from individuals. If it knows how to do that, it knows how to identify individuals as well. I don't know about the rest of the world, but the last time I felt uncomfortable having someone stand behind me and checkout what I was watching on TV --no matter what the reason-- I moved out."

The answer to this, of course, is to not buy a TiVo. When you sign up for their service you agree to this data mining. I think TiVo is useful enough to put up with this, but if you don't think so you can easily vote with your wallet.

# posted by jallison 10:37 AM

Please stop the FUD about TiVo gathing information about you. You can opt out easily, and they are upfront about the fact that they are collecting information. TiVo is well known for having a great privacy policy and respecting their customers.

TiVo has completely changed the way which I consume entertainment -- I watch what TV I want, when I want, and how I want. Once you try it, you won't go back. I don't even know when my favorite shows air anymore -- I just don't care.

For reference:
http://www.tivo.com/5.11.3.asp

1.3 "Anonymous Viewing Information"
means information about viewing choices that you and those in your household make while using your TiVo DVR, but is not associated with or linked to any Contact Information. Your TiVo DVR sends Anonymous Viewing Information to TiVo on an ongoing basis. This information allows TiVo to know that a TiVo service user from a particular ZIP code watched certain programming but we are unable to associate those viewing choices with you. If you use the TiVo Plus service, you may request that TiVo block the collection of Anonymous Viewing Information from your TiVo DVR as described in Section 4.1. NOTE: If your TiVo DVR is receiving the TiVo Basic service, you may not opt out of TiVo's collection of Anonymous Viewing Information from that TiVo DVR.

# posted by Anonymous 12:50 PM

Please stop the FUD about TiVo gathing information about you. You can opt out easily, and they are upfront about the fact that they are collecting information. TiVo is well known for having a great privacy policy and respecting their customers.

TiVo has completely changed the way which I consume entertainment -- I watch what TV I want, when I want, and how I want. Once you try it, you won't go back. I don't even know when my favorite shows air anymore -- I just don't care.

For reference:
http://www.tivo.com/5.11.3.asp

1.3 "Anonymous Viewing Information"
means information about viewing choices that you and those in your household make while using your TiVo DVR, but is not associated with or linked to any Contact Information. Your TiVo DVR sends Anonymous Viewing Information to TiVo on an ongoing basis. This information allows TiVo to know that a TiVo service user from a particular ZIP code watched certain programming but we are unable to associate those viewing choices with you. If you use the TiVo Plus service, you may request that TiVo block the collection of Anonymous Viewing Information from your TiVo DVR as described in Section 4.1. NOTE: If your TiVo DVR is receiving the TiVo Basic service, you may not opt out of TiVo's collection of Anonymous Viewing Information from that TiVo DVR.

# posted by Anonymous 12:50 PM

Anon,

When the poster says they were going to transfer some accounts to GoDaddy.com but declined to because of their business practices the point is that they are not willing to support a business (monetarily or otherwise) because of the way they are doing business.

Advertising, by it's very nature, is most effective when it evokes a response. Such a response can be positive or negative, but gawd forbid it be neutral or passive. I love you or hate you is much more forcefull than "Eh, I really don't care." Advertising is an accepted and readily condoned part of doing business. Effective advertising is generally accepted as a sign that someone at the company having either a.) good business sense, or b.) being just damn lucky.

I noted the Hockey reference at the start of Anon 1's post (and the question does arise as to it being a joke, since the SB is seen by over 2.5 BILLION people worldwide and the poster was OBVIOUSLY watching the game if they saw the ad). I also noted that they had a strong enough reaction to the advertisement in question to respond to the blog article. I also noted that they declined to do business with the above named company because of said ad.

Again, an effective ad and a sign of someone at GoDaddy.com that either knew exactly what they were doing or hit three cherries with a silver dollar.

# posted by wanebo 4:19 PM

Isn't one of the points of tivo is that you can skip commercials?

# posted by Anonymous 1:34 AM