I've heard a lot of protest about this lately. Something about looking through a users viewing history to see if they watched any copyrighted material? How do you guys feel about this? Personally, I don't like the sound of it.

Google is now being forced to give Viacom user data (user name + ip) over who views what. http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hty ... KalsStgSOw

viacom wants to prove that people watch way more illegal content vs legal content on youtube.

google could solve this by letting you search by video popularity. Same thing. :/

only issue I have is that viacom & google will skewer the stats they say. Basically, they'll compare the viewship of a 30 minute 1 time a year TV block to months of constant availability on the internet. I know they'll do this because that's what they do with TV ratings.

Can I say 'f#cking fascists' on this forum, or is that too much? :mrgreen:

Just because they'll know how many times you've watched some fat dutch kid lip synch to bad house music doesn't make Viacom fascists.

from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/fascism

Quote:

1. (sometimes initial capital letter) a governmental system led by a dictator having complete power, forcibly suppressing opposition and criticism, regimenting all industry, commerce, etc., and emphasizing an aggressive nationalism and often racism.
2. (sometimes initial capital letter) the philosophy, principles, or methods of fascism.
3. (initial capital letter) a fascist movement, esp. the one established by Mussolini in Italy 1922–43.

well, the could fall under #1.

I'm sure this came up in court, but this could give a VERY UNFAIR advantage to Viacom's marketing/advertising division on finding out what people want & watch. Basically instead of being forced to take a pool of people & get their opinion they have nearly the entire internet's opinion & viewing habits. That right there could be worth billions.

The Happy Friar wrote:

well, the could fall under #1.

I'm sure this came up in court, but this could give a VERY UNFAIR advantage to Viacom's marketing/advertising division on finding out what people want & watch. Basically instead of being forced to take a pool of people & get their opinion they have nearly the entire internet's opinion & viewing habits. That right there could be worth billions.

Hit the nail on it's head.

"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the merger of state and corporate power." -- Benito Mussolini
:lol:

You'll have to work harder to convince me that it is fascism. It was a civil case with a judgement going to a single party, not broad public policy brought about by an autocrat.

Google should just buy Viacom.

don't think google has the $$ to do it.

viacom's a giant. one of the biggest media companies in existence (right up there with disney).

Christ, they're going after IPs? I didn't even know. I can't believe this isn't breaking a law of some kind.

There is no "right to privacy" under US law. However, Google is pushing the issue: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080709/ap_ ... 7B94gjtBAF

I saw something about this on TV today. Apparently this is just the beginning, they want ISPs to keep like a cookie on their servers about each of their clients incase government lawyers should need them at any time. Oh strictly confidential, of course. I'm a little torn on the issue, on one hand I feel like it's an invasion of privacy and worrying, but on the other hand it can help to catch some sickos and possibly prevent people getting hurt, I feel as though I have nothing to hide so why should I care? I'd just hate to see it get out of control, but I guess deep down I'm all for it, because there's a lot of bad guys out there. The internet is like a public place, so how is this any different from urban security surveillance? Something that has a positive effect on crime rates, yet us normal law-abiding citizens come to forget are even there. I mean, you could pick a big booger out your nose right in front of these cameras, you think those guys care? Eat it, even, knock yourself out. They're only interested in the TNT strapped around your belly.

I've heard a lot of protest about this lately. Something about looking through a users viewing history to see if they watched any copyrighted material? How do you guys feel about this? Personally, I don't like the sound of it.

Google is now being forced to give Viacom user data (user name + ip) over who views what. http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hty ... KalsStgSOw

viacom wants to prove that people watch way more illegal content vs legal content on youtube.

google could solve this by letting you search by video popularity. Same thing. :/

only issue I have is that viacom & google will skewer the stats they say. Basically, they'll compare the viewship of a 30 minute 1 time a year TV block to months of constant availability on the internet. I know they'll do this because that's what they do with TV ratings.

Can I say 'f#cking fascists' on this forum, or is that too much? :mrgreen:

Just because they'll know how many times you've watched some fat dutch kid lip synch to bad house music doesn't make Viacom fascists.

from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/fascism

Quote:

1. (sometimes initial capital letter) a governmental system led by a dictator having complete power, forcibly suppressing opposition and criticism, regimenting all industry, commerce, etc., and emphasizing an aggressive nationalism and often racism.
2. (sometimes initial capital letter) the philosophy, principles, or methods of fascism.
3. (initial capital letter) a fascist movement, esp. the one established by Mussolini in Italy 1922–43.

well, the could fall under #1.

I'm sure this came up in court, but this could give a VERY UNFAIR advantage to Viacom's marketing/advertising division on finding out what people want & watch. Basically instead of being forced to take a pool of people & get their opinion they have nearly the entire internet's opinion & viewing habits. That right there could be worth billions.

The Happy Friar wrote:

well, the could fall under #1.

I'm sure this came up in court, but this could give a VERY UNFAIR advantage to Viacom's marketing/advertising division on finding out what people want & watch. Basically instead of being forced to take a pool of people & get their opinion they have nearly the entire internet's opinion & viewing habits. That right there could be worth billions.

Hit the nail on it's head.

"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the merger of state and corporate power." -- Benito Mussolini
:lol:

You'll have to work harder to convince me that it is fascism. It was a civil case with a judgement going to a single party, not broad public policy brought about by an autocrat.

Google should just buy Viacom.

don't think google has the $$ to do it.

viacom's a giant. one of the biggest media companies in existence (right up there with disney).

Christ, they're going after IPs? I didn't even know. I can't believe this isn't breaking a law of some kind.

There is no "right to privacy" under US law. However, Google is pushing the issue: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080709/ap_ ... 7B94gjtBAF

I saw something about this on TV today. Apparently this is just the beginning, they want ISPs to keep like a cookie on their servers about each of their clients incase government lawyers should need them at any time. Oh strictly confidential, of course. I'm a little torn on the issue, on one hand I feel like it's an invasion of privacy and worrying, but on the other hand it can help to catch some sickos and possibly prevent people getting hurt, I feel as though I have nothing to hide so why should I care? I'd just hate to see it get out of control, but I guess deep down I'm all for it, because there's a lot of bad guys out there. The internet is like a public place, so how is this any different from urban security surveillance? Something that has a positive effect on crime rates, yet us normal law-abiding citizens come to forget are even there. I mean, you could pick a big booger out your nose right in front of these cameras, you think those guys care? Eat it, even, knock yourself out. They're only interested in the TNT strapped around your belly.