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Xerox wants to extract demographic information from web surfers
The age of Big Brother everywhere is certainly upon us, and while we've seen (or at least heard of) tracking devices being implanted in the most unusual of places, it looks like Xerox is hoping to join the devilish fray. In an attempt to craft a demographic extractor to garner marketing dollars galore, a recently filed patent application spells out a system that utilizes software (and potentially hardware) to map users to "centroid vectors" which would determine a person's age, sex, and other "private" information simply based on their website visits. Interestingly, test cases are reportedly showing a respectable "75-percent accuracy rate" so long as a "sufficient number of pages were visited." Still, we can't imagine any tracing technology would be lawfully allowed behind the backs of law-abiding citizens (right?), but considering that even your TiVo has the potential to sell your soul to lucrative ad agencies, we wouldn't put it past 'em.[Via ArsTechnica]
Nike+iPod Serial-to-USB adapter tracks nearby runners
While not even the Nike+iPod was exempt from a bit of tinkering in its lifetime, this well-planned modification certainly takes the cake. In what's sure to drive privacy advocates unnecessarily mad, the crafty gurus over at Spark Fun Electronics have taken those widespread Nike+iPod tracking warnings and developed a product to exploit them, resulting in the Nike+iPod Serial-to-USB adapter. Deemed a "simple interface" to plug the Nike+iPod receiver into your USB port, the device then utilizes a VB program "to listen for all foot pods in range and display the raw data including foot pod IDs." Essentially, you can turn your PC into a spying machine for tracking nearby runners, but considering the range on this thing tops out around 60-feet, you're best option is to grab your laptop and camp out under the brush at a nearby running trail, but you didn't hear that from us. Of course, this creation could indeed be used for less devious matters, but regardless of your intentions, you'll be forced to buy at least ten units at $22.46 apiece, but we all know the truly voyeuristic will need a few dozen just to get started.[Via Podophile]
Judge limits New York police surveillance practices
Sure, we're all well aware that surveillance practices have been ratcheted up a notch or two since six or so years ago, but a judge in Manhattan has recently rebutted his own go-ahead from four years back to give the NYPD "greater authority to investigate political, social and religious groups." The most recent ruling states that by "videotaping people who were exercising their right to free speech and breaking no laws," the cops had ignored the milder limits he had imposed on it in 2003, seemingly squirming out from under his own misjudgments and placing the blame elsewhere. Nevertheless, he was clear that the voyeuristic limits only applied at events where people gather to exercise their rights under the First Amendment, while bridges, tunnels, airports, subways, and street traffic points could maintain their current level of surveillance -- and we thought this would mean those lamppost cameras couldn't pick us off whilst crossing the street with our iPod jamming.[Via BoingBoing]
Traffic reports to derive from cellphone location data
Intelligent roadways and traffic monitoring systems have been available (albeit not always entirely accurate) for some time now, but if IntelliOne and AirSage have their way, finding out about real-time roadblocks (and voyeurism lawsuits) could become a more fleshed-out reality. The firms are looking to utilize that oh-so-telling "anonymous" location data from each traveler's cellphone to pinpoint locations and overlay that information with maps. If wireless companies open up that data at a rate of "twice per second" while users are conversing and "once every 30 seconds" when not on a call, the entrepreneurial duo hopes to offer more detailed information and pragmatic advice than "radar, helicopters, or cameras" currently do. While keeping a keen eye on traffic developments certainly has its benefits, the real issue here is privacy (or the lack thereof); while government uses have already been in place, carriers are (understandably) more hesitant to turn over consumer data for locating purposes. While the service would be marketed free of charge to wireless carriers, interested customers not enraged by such intrusions could purchase the data for a monthly fee, and if all goes as planned, the Tampa pilot that is currently ongoing will lead to "40 other markets" being invaded by this time next year.[Via The Wireless Report]
