IMMI tracks ad exposure / effectiveness via cellphone, trips privacy alarms everywhere

Hunker down and find that tin foil cap, pronto! Privacy advocates, we've a new target for you to bang on: Integrated Media Measurement. The 4,900-person media research company is looking to take advertising measurement to a whole new level (or new low, as it were) by embedding tracking modules within cellphones. In short, the module picks up audio from ads and records information about the exposure; in the future, if you were to purchase whatever product you heard about (like seeing a movie that was plugged), it would register a hit and deem you a sucker. As of now, the only testers with these freaky phones are individuals who signed up for this stuff, but you better believe major marketing firms (and TV / movie studios in particular) are perking their ears up and begging to know more.

[Image courtesy of Corbis, thanks ugotamesij]

[iEye @ Oct 15th 2008 11:10PM]

Do they have a database of moans and grunts from various Pron movies... because.......

[Jon Nelson @ Oct 16th 2008 12:54AM]

Wow.

Finally, FINALLY a comment that had NOTHING TO DO WITH THE iPHONE. *applauds*

And apologies for getting off topic, but this article really seems to cross a lot of boundaries in terms of privacy (Well, as the title states, I suppose), but I wonder how something like this might affect a phone's battery life? Not to mention, if I keep my phone in my pocket all day, how can it possibly tell what I'm watching or hearing. I get the distinct sense that, while this is an interesting idea, I don't think it will go far because of the limitations of a cellphone microphone.

[takashisenke @ Oct 15th 2008 11:10PM]

Hell no.

[John @ Oct 15th 2008 11:13PM]

Sounds like a combination of the Batman sonic cell phone thing and the Minority Report eye scanner ads. Creepy.

[sip @ Oct 15th 2008 11:31PM]

These phones will probably only be used with volunteers. They already have and use these devices, only they aren't integrated in cellphones. It's pretty neat how it works, actually.

[Wwhat @ Oct 16th 2008 1:29PM]

Uhm, but if a volunteer stands/sits next to me while I'm chatting with someone then I'm suddenly involuntarily volunteering.

[Michael @ Oct 15th 2008 11:54PM]

They've had these for quite some time, actually - even the ones in cell phones. They're called "Portable People Meters."

Gotta love the name, at least...

[michas_pi @ Oct 16th 2008 12:21AM]

No, thanks. I'll pass.

[Houndogg @ Oct 16th 2008 1:40AM]

We actually had one of these phones. It wasn't really a bad deal at first. They give you a shiny new phone, pay for a data plan for it, and give you a $50/mo stipend.

The first problem is that the software that listens in sucks down battery like it's going out of style. It might last 10 hours on a full charge. Then, if the phone is off for any significant amount of time (like a couple of hours), even if it's at night when you're asleep, the company will call you a few days later asking why it was off. When you mention the short battery life the mail you a car or wall plug for it.

Then my cow-orkers got freaked out and the manager of the investment bank I worked at asked me to turn the phone off during meetings "just in case".

For the last year before I quit I just left it plugged in in my bedroom. I finally did quit because they asked me to keep a GPS plugged into it.

[michas_pi @ Oct 16th 2008 8:45AM]

Just like a telescreen, but portable and battery-powered.

Marvelous.

[Ian @ Oct 16th 2008 2:54AM]

sounds like shit to me.. ill never do anything to help advertisers

[Ian @ Oct 16th 2008 2:56AM]

arrggg after i thought about it, i dont mean by actually buying stuff that is advertised but stuff like this i will never participate in. id rather go with out a cell phone then be forced to use this if they ever implemented it in ALL cellphones

[Paulmichael @ Oct 16th 2008 3:34AM]

I'm in the program right now, was invited in from some survey panel. Being a college student, nothing kicks more ass than a free cell phone and plan. Hell, I even got to keep my old number, and they paid for my ETF with my old provider! The phone makes it through most of my day, though I plug it in when I get home from classes. The phone is an HTC 3125 on the Cingular (AT&T) network, running Windows Mobile 5 Smartphone Edition. The software was pretty buggy at first, but after this latest hard reset/update it's been running flawlessly. Much like Houndogg mentioned, they would call me if they hadn't received data in a given amount of time. My house has poor AT&T reception, so they were calling me basically every three days saying "We haven't received data for the past two days," but those calls finally stopped about two weeks ago.

I guess I got in at the right time because I don't even need to worry about a phone bill. I'm not given a stipend, but rather the phone is just...paid for. 1000 Anytime minutes with nights starting at 7, unlimited data and SMS. The software is actually quite good at picking up what media I'm exposed to; in one of those phone calls where my phone was having problems, the lady on the phone saw a log from the last time it had sent data, and it had the radio station the phone had picked up that I had listened to, while the thing was in my pocket a few days before!

It basically seems like something similar to Verizon's VCAST SongID, but enhanced with more media types. That is to say that the phone does none of the audio processing, a server somewhere else does. Oh, and they require a Bluetooth module be plugged into a wall at home so they know what media you are exposed to there, versus when you're out and about. I'm hoping I can get a new phone sometime down the line though, because there's no way this one will last the two years I could possibly be enrolled in this.

[FreePhoneGuy @ Oct 16th 2008 4:18AM]

Also an IMMI panel member here... was invited in via a direct mail piece, that must have followed after a survey panel in Las Vegas. IMMI ported my phone number over from my existing AT&T (Cingular) account, and even paid for the early termination fee on my contract. I have never received any payment from them, nor have I incurred any bills from AT&T that IMMI later reimbursed me for.

I'm echoing everything re:Paulmichael's comments. My experience has been exactly the same. The phone has always been a pain - it would often restart itself in the middle of the day, it received poor reception in my house, and the design is awkward. Additionally, the phone was stuck on the Edge network, and not 3G capable.

However, recently my HTC 3125 experienced some sort of hardware meltdown and would not stay on long enough for even the hard reset. When I called in to complain about the sudden lack of a cell phone and inquired about porting my phone number back so I could buy an iPhone, the representative informed me that IMMI is beginning to phase in BlackJack 2 devices in lieu of the HTC 3125 clamshells. The 1000 anytime minutes with unlimited data and SMS will still apply. No word on whether or not the BlackJack2 will be on the 3G network, but I'm hopeful. I think a free BlackJack2 is well worth the price of being the only guy in my fantasy football league without an iPhone.

[Wwhat @ Oct 16th 2008 1:33PM]

Yeah it seems obligatory now for college 'students' to help undermine freedom and humanity and behave like complete dicks for money or credit. (and to make it sting even more: I meant dick cheney when I said dicks)

[George A. Romero @ Oct 16th 2008 8:05AM]

Here's the problem with this. In the future when this gets implimented, cell phone carriers may charge you a fee to opt out of this as a loophole around the law!

They'll raise prices, and say, "If you sign up for this special offer, you get a discount."

This is bull. The FCC needs to put a stop on this now!

[NoAndThen @ Oct 16th 2008 9:53AM]

F this. I'm moving to the middle of the woods.

[Steve @ Oct 16th 2008 1:41PM]

I got invited to participate in this about 4 years ago when IMMI first began this in northern California. I guess they got my name from a focus group/survey panel I did once. As mentioned above by Paulmichael and FreePhoneGuy, they port your number over and pay the ETF. I think I went through 3 different smartphones in 2.5 years of participating (1 audiovox, 2 made by Cingular. 2125 and 3125 flip phone if I remember). I was assured the software did not record conversations and only monitored sounds from tv and radio. At the time you were supposed to have Comcast cable otherwise you could not participate. I was ok with DirecTV. Once they ended the program in my area I noticed they began giving the stipend. No complaints from me though. No phone bill for a couple years and got to keep two phones, one of which went on ebay for $150.

[Paulmichael @ Oct 16th 2008 4:19PM]

What, so they just send you a new phone? Or do you have to ask for one? I'm kinda tired of this 3125, and if they're shipping out BlackJack 2s......... =)

[bsx @ Oct 17th 2008 12:31PM]

I am part of their program as well. I have used the phone extensively for mobile web and email. Trust me, it doesn't have the bandwidth to be sending full audio clips. What it probably does is calculate a hash sum (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hash_function ) of the audio sample and send that shorter hash string to their servers. The servers have a database of media such as tv, movies, and radio programs that it compares the hash value against the known samples and can track meida exposure by the matches they find. They are not violating any privacy really, because all they can track is known samples. Sure, they might pickup on your secret disney channel obsession, but that is a risk you'll have to take if you sign up for this kind of deal.

[rootyb @ Oct 18th 2008 4:31PM]

I worked for IMMI for about a year. I'm not there any more, but I still know a little.

A few notes:

1) Like BSX said, no audio is transmitted to their servers, so all of you foil hat kids can relax. The phone software encodes what it hears into an audio "signature", which is then transmitted to the servers for analysis. Actually sending straight audio would kill the battery even faster than it already does.

2) Paulmichael, from what I can tell, they're not sending out Blackjack II's yet, but will be doing so in the fairly near future. I don't think you'll have to request it. Might get you one a little sooner, though.

3) They did pick up on my disney channel obsession when I had one of the phones. :(

[Paulmichael @ Oct 19th 2008 8:22PM]

Thanks for the information, I'm going to give them a call tomorrow and see if the BlackJack IIs are indeed going to be rolled out, and perhaps see if I'd get one sooner. :) I'd love to have a phone like that! Just looked over its specs and they are drool-worthy when compared to this aging 3125 sitting next to me...

[IMMI'er @ Oct 27th 2008 3:42AM]

I got my Blackjack II. They have them and will send them out if you call enough and complain. Just have to keep at it and tell them you really want the blackjack. Tell them if they don't give you a blackjack that you will consider dropping out of the program. That seemed to do the trick. My guess is that it costs them to recruit us and we are important to keeping their statistical data good--they can't afford to lose to many of us members, which they have to replace in a special way that makes it expensive for them (we can't just volunteer, we have to be chosen). Well, we can use this to our advantage in getting what we want. We will have a lot of power if we members just organize more: we are like the workers in a company, they need us and we have power in solidarity. IMMI'ers of the world, unite! I say we should all get an iphone (i hear they are working on getting the Iphone to work with the program, btw).

[IMMI OUT OF BUSINESS @ Nov 7th 2008 7:15PM]

News Flash: The company has just gone out of business. They laid off everyone today and are closing down all their panels, so all you folks out there with phones will not have them soon. They will all be shut off, and someone is going to ask for them back. They are essentially going into hibernation mode for a year or so until venture capital/the economy pics up again to start back up from the ashes. Too bad. It was a good company but just another victim of the Bush economic policies. NIelens also apparently rengged on their contract with IMMI and no longer was willing to pay. All future potential bussiness dried up too due to cuts in advertising depts. So IMMI ran out of money. I dont even think those that are due money will see any of it.

[Please IMMI dont go out of business @ Nov 9th 2008 2:06AM]

Where did you hear this from? i thought we had contracts with them..

[IMMI Shutting Down @ Nov 11th 2008 11:44PM]

Sorry that this news is true. I can vouch for it as one of the employees about to be laid-off. Only a few of us here are left--90% are laid-off. Its very sad. 2 weeks severance. They are keeping a couple employees to help them shut down all the panels. It was good while it lasted and they may be back in a year or so once the economy is more conducive. But say good bye to IMMI.

[Nielsen was their downfall @ Nov 12th 2008 12:40AM]

Their main money source, partner Nielsen, was their downfall: Nielsen pulled out and shut down their bussiness with IMMI, effectively killing the company:

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.san&s=94406&Nid=49179&p=375014

Nice job Nielsen. Very short-sighted of them to get rid of the best media research tool. These companies talk a good deal but they don't want to put their money where their mouth is. Yes, we know the economy is bad now, but that is the time you should be investing in market research to better target your audience with smarter and more effective advertisements. Otherwise they are wasting money in the long term. Capitalist are always so myopic and short term profit driven. IMMI will go on in some form and will raise again in a few years. I hope Nielsen falls apart for their terrible decisions.

[can't get through @ Jan 27th 2009 5:57PM]

I got my phone shut off. I tried to call in but no one is answering. Looks like they no longer are accepting phone calls in anymore. I thought was had a contract too. This sucks. I think the big boss is Tom Zito. I'm going to write him. They should not turn off their phones and not give a way for us to call in to speak to someone live about it. I got into someone live by calling their phone number directly band they told me they turned off their phones and do not answer any more calls from us. They just want to send us a letter and then terminate us. Talk about cowardly!