Google paying users to track 100% of their Web usage via little black box

[ronjor]

Any takers?

By Casey Johnston

Google is working to collect information about Internet users that it can't get from just monitoring its own browser, services, and Android devices. The company has set up a new program called Screenwise, which offers money to users who install a black box on their home network to "measure Internet use." A smaller amount of money will go to those who install a browser extension on their computers that will do the same thing.

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/news/...-black-box.ars

[Hungry Man]

Wow cool. I have absolutely nothing to hide so I wouldn't mind a few bucks =p I'll look into this.

EDIT: Just signed up. I'll happily let them see my posts on wilders and other forums.

[EncryptedBytes]

Too 1984 for my taste. At least it is opt-in and not opt-out

[Dermot7]

In the midst of outcry over the changes in Google's privacy policy, the search giant has announced that it will start paying some users to share their search history as part of a new project dubbed Screenwise

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/0...n_1263128.html

[funkydude]

I LIKE this.

[m00nbl00d]

Originally Posted by funkydude

I LIKE this.

The money? Who doesn't?

[Dermot7]

The money?

But aren't people to be paid with Amazon vouchers, if I'm correct, so "payment" just goes back in general "coffers"?

[noone_particular]

Black boxes to monitor your internet usage. Black boxes to monitor your driving and determine your insurance payments. What's next, black boxes to monitor your health and decide your health care premiums? Black boxes to monitor your heart rate, respiration, and stress level in order to make sure you work hard enough to earn your pay? Where does it end?

Most of the responses here don't surprise me any more. Anything for a buck.

[LoneWolf]

No way, No how, No sir.
Google doesn't have enough info of everyone so now they want to pay you for it.
Not happening here.

[Hungry Man]

Originally Posted by noone_particular

Black boxes to monitor your internet usage. Black boxes to monitor your driving and determine your insurance payments. What's next, black boxes to monitor your health and decide your health care premiums? Black boxes to monitor your heart rate, respiration, and stress level in order to make sure you work hard enough to earn your pay? Where does it end?

Most of the responses here don't surprise me any more. Anything for a buck.

It's an opt-in program that pays people for information. It's no different than those survey groups that pay you money to answer questions on a brand etc.

EDIT: You're jumping from an opt-in program for money to mandatory monitoring of your heart in order to keep your job.

The fact is that, yes, I have nothing to hide so I have nothing to fear. I still have the right to hide, but I'll definitely show them a few of my posts on a forum for a few bucks. Why not? Everything I do online is fairly public anyways...

[noone_particular]

You don't see a pattern and a trend here? There's no real difference betwen receiving some money for having your internet usage monitored and getting a discount if they can monitor your driving. Right now, they are opt in.

The "I have nothing to hide" argument is ridiculous. AFAIC, whether I do or not, I have no need to prove it just as I don't need to be monitored to prove I'm a decent driver. Where I browse, what I read, what apps I use, etc is none of Google's or anyone elses business, just as where, when, and how I drive from day to day is none of the insurance company's business. The more of this trend people accept, the more common it will become until it invades every aspect of our lives.

Back on the traffic monitoring idea. I also run a Tor exit node. It's absolutely none of Google's or anyone elses business what traffic is relayed and to where.

[x942]

So here is what I will do:

I am going to sign up, get the box, put it on a another modem, set up a computer with a webcrawler, have the webcrawling script surf the net every two hours for ~30min from 8 am to 10 pm, with breaks for lunch time, then I will get the money and not lose any privacy.

Win win for me

[Hungry Man]

Originally Posted by noone_particular

You don't see a pattern and a trend here? There's no real difference betwen receiving some money for having your internet usage monitored and getting a discount if they can monitor your driving. Right now, they are opt in.

The "I have nothing to hide" argument is ridiculous. AFAIC, whether I do or not, I have no need to prove it just as I don't need to be monitored to prove I'm a decent driver. Where I browse, what I read, what apps I use, etc is none of Google's or anyone elses business, just as where, when, and how I drive from day to day is none of the insurance company's business. The more of this trend people accept, the more common it will become until it invades every aspect of our lives.

Back on the traffic monitoring idea. I also run a Tor exit node. It's absolutely none of Google's or anyone elses business what traffic is relayed and to where.

I have no problem with you wanting to hide. I don't have anythin to hide so I don't care. I believe that you and I both have the right to hide but if someone's going to pay me to show a few posts on a browser I'll take it.

Isn't that... directly the insurance companies business? I mean literally... it's their business.

[AlexC]

What will they do with the collected information? Any explanation from Google?

[Hungry Man]

"What we learn from you, and others like you, will help us improve Google products and services and make a better online experience for everyone."

People can choose to participate if it's of interest (or if the gift appeals) and everyone who does participate has complete transparency and control over what Internet use is being included in the panel. People can stay on the panel as long as they'd like, or leave at any time.

...........

[CloneRanger]

Many people would sell their souls for less So making a few $ or more will be right up their street Clever move by google, & i expect a lot of sheep to sign up The problem is, most people don't read the small print, or actually realise the implications of what they do. One day they might, but then it's too late !

Originally Posted by x942

So here is what I will do:......

Brilliant

[Hungry Man]

Can you point out the small print that we sheep missed?

[CloneRanger]

Originally Posted by Hungry Man

Can you point out the small print that we sheep missed?

First off, you need to learn how to Quote people correctly, like wut i just dun did I'm presuming you were quoting me ?

Maybe you read the SP & Every privacy policy, & understand ALL the implications etc, so good for you. But apart from some people on here & similar forums etc, i don't know Anybody who does, or has, EVER ! They are the ones i am referring to

[CloneRanger]

Google will swap you a box of crisps for your web privacy

Or anything else from Amazon for $25 if you agree to be stalked

Google has revealed exactly how little cash it thinks a user who is willing to "sell" their data to the search giant is actually worth.

The answer? $25 for one year of letting the Chocolate Factory happily slurp your data. And that figure isn't even in the form of cold, hard cash. Nope. Amazon gift vouchers are on offer to those exposing their online selves to Google (2011 revenue: $38 billion).

Here's how Google pitched the project to anyone interested in signing up:

*

Google said in an update to the original post:

We appreciate and are overwhelmed by your interest at the moment. Please come back later for more details.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/02...gle_screenwise

Yup, as predicted, plenty of sheep to the slaughter

[LoneWolf]

Originally Posted by CloneRanger

Yup, as predicted, plenty of sheep to the slaughter

I'm sure of that, I'm also sure it ain't gonna be me.

[Page42]

Originally Posted by CloneRanger

Yup, as predicted, plenty of sheep to the slaughter

I don't know... it doesn't sound much different than the Nielsen ratings process for television, and we don't hear much from the "sheep to slaughter" critics with that technology.

[Joeythedude]

Its the same model as why large shopping chains give discount cards , and store all the data about why and when
people buy stuff.

Google will prob get a great deal of value from info that people will sell for a pittance.

each individual person will "have nothing to hide" , but once google or any big company
has all that data , they can be "manipluate" each person much more effectively.

[noone_particular]

I have no problem with you wanting to hide. I don't have anythin to hide so I don't care.

That's a twisted comparison. Not wanting your every move tracked is not even close to the same as hiding.

if someone's going to pay me to show a few posts on a browser I'll take it.

ROFL A few posts?

Regarding insurance,

Isn't that... directly the insurance companies business? I mean literally... it's their business.

Their business is insuring you and the car, not monitoring your every move behind the wheel. You don't see or care about the shift here? Your driving record is no longer good enough anymore to determine your rates? They need real time proof that you drive as they think you should? The cost of this mandatory coverage is bad enough but now it's worse if you don't agree to being monitored? You think this is acceptable? It's not a savings if you agree to it. It's a price hike if you don't.

This trend is infiltrating every aspects of our lives, yet people think it's fine if they wave a few bucks under your nose. Wake up people. If people keep accepting or tolerating this, soon it will be the only option.

[Spooony]

Narus is a 7-year-old company which, because of its particular niche, appeals not only to businessmen (it is backed by AT&T, JP Morgan and Intel, among others) but also to police, military and intelligence officials. November 2004 13-14, for instance, Narus was the “Lead Sponsor” for a technical conference held in McLean, Virginia, titled “Intelligence Support Systems for Lawful Interception and Internet Surveillance.”* Police officials, FBI and DEA agents, and major telecommunications companies eager to cash in on the “war on terror” had gathered in the hometown of the CIA to discuss their special problems. Among the attendees were AT&T, BellSouth, MCI, Sprint and Verizon. Narus founder, Dr. Ori Cohen, gave a keynote speech. So what does the Narus STA 6400 do?

The [Narus] STA Platform consists of standalone traffic analyzers that collect network and customer usage information in real time directly from the
message...These analyzers sit on the message pipe into the ISP [Internet Service Provider] cloud rather than tap into each router or ISP device (Telecommunications magazine, April, 2000),**

A Narus press release (1 Dec.,1999) also boasts that its Semantic Traffic Analysis (STA) technology “captures comprehensive customer usage data...and transforms it into actionable information...[it] is the only technology that provides complete visibility for all Internet applications.”***
To implement this scheme, WorldNet's highspeed data circuits already in service had to be re-routed to go through the special “splitter” cabinet. This was addressed in another document of 44 pages from AT&T Labs, titled “SIMS


ISS World is now an international event where service providers, law enforcement agencies, other government officials and vendors can meet to create cost effective lawful interception, fraud control and network security solutions that balance privacy, national security and public safety.
ISS World 2003 Attendees
Service Providers
AT&T
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Nextel
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Sprint
Sprint PCS
T-Mobile
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Maryland State Police
National Drug Intelligence Center
Quebec Police Force
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
U.S. Capital Police
U.S. Secret Service
Vancouver Police Department
Virginia State Police

[Hungry Man]

Originally Posted by Page42

I don't know... it doesn't sound much different than the Nielsen ratings process for television, and we don't hear much from the "sheep to slaughter" critics with that technology.

Nielsen ratings were the first thing I thought of actually. They see what TV shows you watch and you get money.

*gasp*

evil

Originally Posted by noone_particular

That's a twisted comparison. Not wanting your every move tracked is not even close to the same as hiding.

I wasn't trying to say "hiding" in a bad way. I just meant not wanting to be tracked.