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A news release from TiVo, the personal digital recorder company, saying that owners of the devices played and replayed the Janet Jackson incident at the Super Bowl numerous times has raised questions about whether the recorder could also be used in ways that infringe on privacy rights. "It noticed that boxes were doing that, but it didn't notice it was Phil's box that was doing that," TiVo spokesman Scott Sutherland told today's (Thursday) Chicago Sun-Times.

Nevertheless, he conceded that the potential for misuse exists since TiVo devices are hooked up to telephone lines. Commented Sutherland, "I understand people have privacy concerns [about TiVo]. But when you look at the actual track record and the policy and procedures, that may not be altogether justifiable."

-- IMDB News

I rest my case.

"yeah, we're logging everything you do, but its not like we're gonna actually DO anything with that data..."

Things change. If Tivo gets bought out, for example, that data is very likely part of the sale, to perhaps a company with a much worse track record. Also, the very fact that it is known to exist makes it a target for a court subpoena; when combined with other factors in the Patriot approach, it may mean that your data is going to the government and Tivo wouldn't be required or even PERMITTED to tell you.

Privacy policies can just be damned if the feds ask for it in the right way.

THAT is why it would be better if the logging was stopped and the existing data destroyed.

Hey Tivo: provide a service; Stay out of the "information age". The fewer data sources organizations have to get info on us, the better.

update: A followup article is at CNet.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

amen.

I have issues about supermarkets who use "club cards" to track my purchase, but then...I'm a conspiracy theorist. [grin]

Okay, let's say Tivo removes that function and deletes the store of already retrieved data.

Then the feds come in waving something that says USPATRIOT near the top and say, "We know that you can do this, because you used to do it. We're ordering you to re-enable it. And by the way, you're not allowed to tell anyone we had this conversation."

Now you're screwed again, but this time with a false sense of security because Tivo told you they weren't gathering that information any more.

Time to hack the Tivo.

Or ... does a Tivo always communicate by phone, or will it make use of an existing IP connection in the house? Some clever packet-rewriting on your firewall ...?

A shame, because the aggregate data could actually be pretty interesting. Unfortunately, it's difficult to collect that without at least the potential for collection of personal patterns as a side effect.

Then the feds come in waving something that says USPATRIOT near the top and say, "We know that you can do this, because you used to do it. We're ordering you to re-enable it. And by the way, you're not allowed to tell anyone we had this conversation."

You mean that they haven't already? Seriously though, this is a prime example of why I'm completely opposed to the Patriot Act v.1 and v.2

Then the feds come in waving something that says USPATRIOT near the top and say, "We know that you can do this, because you used to do it. We're ordering you to re-enable it. And by the way, you're not allowed to tell anyone we had this conversation."

something of that nature would get leaked, and instantly have people clammering for proof via the freedom of information act. That's where one hopes that freedom of speech will be the check to balance out that kind of crapola.

well, one hopes.

Freedom of Speech? What's that?

I'm confused. Was your quote, "yeah, we're logging everything you do, but its not like we're gonna actually DO anything with that data..." actually from an article, or is that your interpretation of what was said? Based on the paragraph from IMDB, there's nothing there saying they are recording personal info with the data, only that the potential for abuse exists, i.e., that they could record it.

Besides, "they" know what cable shows you watch, what brand of toilet paper you buy, which movies you rent, all of you credit card purchases, what library books you check out, and how much money you have in the bank, and the content of all your e-mails. We opt in to this invasion of privacy when we choose to use credit cards or get online or use a grocery discount card. We have the option of not using such services if we want to protect our privacy, but too many rely on such convenience services now. Your right to privacy is not violated by such vendors because you sign it away with the contract.

This e-mail might be monitored "for quality control."

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