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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]
Your cellphone asks: "What are you watching?"
Whether ECHELON is true or not is debatable, but for now we know that Integrated Media Measurement, Inc. is, in fact, real. The IMMI has developed special cellphones that can eavesdrop on conversations, so it can find out what you are watching or listening to. The devices work by randomly recording 10 seconds of "room audio" every 30 seconds, and then comparing it to digital signatures on IMMI servers. The signatures, which can be determined up to two weeks later to accommodate for TiVo users, are then matched and grouped with your demographic data for marketers' consumption. However -- before you run for your Reynolds Wrap -- like Neilsen ratings, this is an opt-in program, so unless your already enlisted we're pretty sure your phone won't judge you for enjoying Beauty and the Geek.[Via Futurismic]
