I just got Dish Network, and I'm worried. Is it tracking what I watch via the phone line attached to my DVR? I don't want Big Brother to know I'm addicted to The Dukes of Hazzard.
Remove your tinfoil cap, citizen - though I understand why you're jittery. Digital video recorders raised privacy concerns ever since TiVo first showed off its spookily intelligent behavior, picking new shows based on your preferences (and then, of course, deciding that you're gay).
The fact is, the privacy situation isn't terribly dire, depending on which service you use. Dish, which has its own DVR, collects almost no data about your viewing habits; the phone line is for authorizing pay-per-view orders. That's the only time the company records what you watch.
TiVo, in contrast, pays close attention to your viewing habits - it uses collaborative filtering to compare your choices to those of other users. But remarkably, this data crunching happens inside your TiVo box. According to TiVo brass, the company doesn't snoop. When your box dials up to talk to TiVo's central servers, it sends info about the shows you've watched. But it does so anonymously: TiVo's system strips off any markers of your identity, then randomly juggles the data around on a constellation of servers to obscure its provenance. Sure, TiVo executives know an enormous amount about what its users in general are watching - hell, they can even tell how many times we hit rewind on American Idol. But only in the aggregate.
It's the cable giants like Comcast and Time Warner that should worry you. They don't screw around with wimpy phone lines: They've got fat data pipes attached to your TV, 24/7, perfect for slurping up your cultural DNA. Comcast spokespeople assured me their policy is not to sell-personal "clickstream" data on viewing habits. But, hey - this is the free market, and these are massive intergalactic coréporations, so things could change if advertisers dangle the right money in front of them. (Dish claims it's not collecting info right now, but "might in the future.") And if the feds show up with a Patriot Act subpoena, these companies will hand over every shred of data they've got.
The upshot? If you're still nervous, roll up your sleeves and build your own MythTV, which runs on free open source software, works like a TiVo, and isn't tracked by anyone. As any privacy freak will tell you, the only truly safe place is off the grid.
I suspect my ex is avoiding me - she never shows up on my Instant Messenger buddy list. How can I find out if she's made herself "invisible" to hide from me?
With a simple "Spy vs. Spy" maneuver. Create an Instant Messenger account with a new screen name, then put your ex on the buddy list. Her invisibility mode won't be calibrated to block a random stranger and - presto! - if she's there, she'll pop into existence. (Unless she's blocking everybody but a few close pals.)
A word of warning: If she ever finds out you pulled this creepy little trick, she'll probably avoid you for the rest of your life.
Need help navigating life in the 21st century? Email mrknowitall@wiredmag.com.START
Is Your TV Watching You?
