Pudding Media eavesdrops on internet calls, displays relevant ads

Pudding Media, a California-based startup, is opening up a beta test of its internet calling service, and while calls are said to be completely free, there's most definitely a catch. Users making the call will be presented with advertisements that actually relate to the conversation taking place, as the company's speech recognition software picks out key words and beams in ads based on what you're yappin' about. Notably, the company actually seems quite interested in licensing its technology out rather than becoming "an independent provider of ad-financed internet phone calls," and while we're sure hordes of privacy advocates will be none too pleased with the setup, those without issue can head on over and give it a try today.

[Via Yahoo]

[Jypson @ Sep 25th 2007 5:09AM]

Worst idea ever.

[DBrim @ Sep 25th 2007 5:14AM]

I wouldn't be so quick to judge it, considering that many readers on this site use services that already do the same thing (read: gmail).

[Simon @ Sep 25th 2007 6:11AM]

You know I have this keen skill to ignore the gmail ads. I agree they are a privacy issue even with googles "do no evil slogan".
hmmm, I wonder if google would invest (ie. buy out) in this company?

[Dauthi @ Sep 25th 2007 9:16AM]

I don't know... I'm still more comfortable with gmail matching words, then having my voice conversations scanned and who knows what else. To the best of my knowledge, Google doesn't store what keywords it's using for particular people.

Data management by the phone service is definitely key to how I'd feel about using it.

[Retrosteve @ Sep 25th 2007 7:33AM]

Hummm.... I wonder who it will license this technology to?

Private investigators? Government agencies? Stalk-an-ex inc?

[ryantrevisol @ Sep 25th 2007 8:42AM]

Are you kidding? As if the government doesn't already do this? "They" are monitoring our phone calls already, it might as well save me some money at the same time. And you know, the text it matches up will probably provide you with plenty of chuckles along the lines of NHAnimator's comments. :-) I say cool.

[Retrosteve @ Sep 25th 2007 8:47AM]

You're right, the US Government certainly does this already.

But smaller governments without the same sized budget may be unable to do so. And now they can.

Likewise, it would be a cinch to license this tech and set up an information agency that private eyes could subscribe to. Then your psycho ex (or jealous spouse) could pay some scuzzy PI to stalk you.

[paul34 @ Sep 25th 2007 9:42AM]

Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if the government was behind this. They're already being pissy three year olds that lots of over VoIP solutions aren't too easily eavesdropped by them (due ot encryption), and this is the perfect solution.

Many people will sell their constitutional rights... and here it appears it is free!

[NHAnimator @ Sep 25th 2007 8:05AM]

To those of you reading this story and saying to yourself, "Hogwash!"... Let me take a moment to tell you about our new pig-cleansing services now available throughout the tri-state area.

[Zach @ Sep 25th 2007 8:38AM]

Google would buy them.

[Wwhat @ Sep 25th 2007 9:25AM]

Clearly listening in then pointing out that you do with ads is pushing it a bit too close to home to people what's going on nowadays, so on the one hand I hope they get big enough to make people more aware, on the other hand I think anybody (clients) using this is insane and is incredibly hard to annoy.

[Glazun @ Sep 25th 2007 10:06AM]

Hm, seems rather interesting at least the adverts you hear relate to you. Probably would make for fun stories about how the speach recognition software got it wrong and misinterpreted what you were saying.

Also what happens if you talk some odd language like Irish or Latin..

[OneWahooFan @ Sep 25th 2007 12:09PM]

Don't you mean Gaelic?

[Glazun @ Sep 25th 2007 3:40PM]

Well, we call it Irish in Ireland. Irish or Gaelige..

[eurobloke @ Sep 26th 2007 11:26AM]

What happens if you have a strong accent like Ulster-Scots, West Country or Guernsey?

I don't wish to be racist to the other people that are electronic beings, but computers can't simply understand human speech patterns very well.

[Loonie @ Sep 25th 2007 12:09PM]

I'd be interested to experiment with it a little and see what would be the craziest ad I could make it come up with.

[Balmung497 @ Sep 26th 2007 9:08AM]

Does this mean I would not be the only one shouting random words?

[Trent @ Sep 25th 2007 4:59PM]

Dear thepudding.com,

die in a fire.

[Mark E @ Sep 25th 2007 5:47PM]

wtf, their site doesnt support firefox.
that's a bad sign already