http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57471570-93/facebook-scans-chats-and-posts-for-criminal-activity/
Facebook keeps up with it's jab at member privacy, this time by scanning your posts and chats for criminal activity while at the same time adding to its array of data-mining capabilities. The scanning program looks for certain phrases found in previously obtained chat records from criminals and flags the communication to a Facebook employee who makes the judgment call regarding notification to the authorities. Facebook avoids discussing the existence of this monitoring technology and as a result details of this tool are scarce. This makes one wonder regarding the other uses of this technology.
Behavioral targeting technologies are frequently used to market to consumers. This involves anonymously monitoring and tracking the content read and sites visted by a designated unique user or IP as they surf the Internet. This is done by serving tracking codes, in the guise of cookies, on a user’s computer as s/he is served ads from various online advertising networks. Sites visited, content viewed, and length of visit are then all databased and analyzed to predict an online behavioral pattern for such a user, thereby classifying that user by his/her online demographic. Behavioral ad networks then serve targeted advertising related to that user’s behavioral classification, regardless of where s/he then visit.
For example, if a computer user frequents sites such as SlashDot, Maxim Online, Wired, and Men’s Health, behavioral targeting would classify such a user as a male, with interest in technology. When behavioral targeting advertising companies such as Tacoda or 24/7 serves ads on such sites, their ads place behavior targeting cookies on the user’s computer. Then, if that same user later visits a site with ads served by these networks, an advertisement might be served for shaving cream or even a tech job site (especially if the user is reading the news online during regular work hours). If that user becomes target to a behavioral advertising, he may be served a series of the same ad campaign across various sites, all without his awareness of the targeting going on around him.
The big brothers of internet that were monitoring your online activities are now keeping an eye on your chat conversations. Beware, least your surprise gift plans get foiled when the intended person uses your computer and keeps seeing ads regarding the gift for them which you were discussing with a friend on chat.
Facebook keeps up with it's jab at member privacy, this time by scanning your posts and chats for criminal activity while at the same time adding to its array of data-mining capabilities. The scanning program looks for certain phrases found in previously obtained chat records from criminals and flags the communication to a Facebook employee who makes the judgment call regarding notification to the authorities. Facebook avoids discussing the existence of this monitoring technology and as a result details of this tool are scarce. This makes one wonder regarding the other uses of this technology.
Behavioral targeting technologies are frequently used to market to consumers. This involves anonymously monitoring and tracking the content read and sites visted by a designated unique user or IP as they surf the Internet. This is done by serving tracking codes, in the guise of cookies, on a user’s computer as s/he is served ads from various online advertising networks. Sites visited, content viewed, and length of visit are then all databased and analyzed to predict an online behavioral pattern for such a user, thereby classifying that user by his/her online demographic. Behavioral ad networks then serve targeted advertising related to that user’s behavioral classification, regardless of where s/he then visit.
For example, if a computer user frequents sites such as SlashDot, Maxim Online, Wired, and Men’s Health, behavioral targeting would classify such a user as a male, with interest in technology. When behavioral targeting advertising companies such as Tacoda or 24/7 serves ads on such sites, their ads place behavior targeting cookies on the user’s computer. Then, if that same user later visits a site with ads served by these networks, an advertisement might be served for shaving cream or even a tech job site (especially if the user is reading the news online during regular work hours). If that user becomes target to a behavioral advertising, he may be served a series of the same ad campaign across various sites, all without his awareness of the targeting going on around him.
The big brothers of internet that were monitoring your online activities are now keeping an eye on your chat conversations. Beware, least your surprise gift plans get foiled when the intended person uses your computer and keeps seeing ads regarding the gift for them which you were discussing with a friend on chat.
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