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Privacy
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Posted by: khark

This may be interesting to you.

http://news.com.com/2102-1041_3-515...g=st.util.print

Posted by: walters

Yes, I do find it interesting that people supposedly concerned about privacy fail to read the privacy policy before agreeing to it. (Not you, necessarily, because I don't know how you feel about it. I'm talking about the people they manage to find for quotes on this topic every six months or so)

Posted by: nlw

i wonder how much faster / more responsive tivo would be if it wasn't busy logging every button click. . .

Posted by: rminsk

quote:
Originally posted by nlw
i wonder how much faster / more responsive tivo would be if it wasn't busy logging every button click. . .

Not even noticibly faster as it is a tiny bit of information. It is very easy to view the logs created with the backdoors turned on (see the TiVo Underground). The phone call may be a few seconds faster since it has less data to compress and send.

If you are concerned you can opt-out of the anonymous data collection. It is still logged but TiVo corporation does not use it.

Posted by: SpacemanSpiff

How does a D* user go about opting out of TiVo's data collection though? I'm not a TiVo customer, I've never had contact with them. If I call to opt out, will they have any record of me (other than the data that has been collected via the phone calls home?)

Posted by: drew2k

Scroll to the very bottom of the DirecTV DVR page and click on Privacy Policy. Everything you need about the privacy policy and opt out information is listed in Section IX after you click the link.

Posted by: lander215

Um, if you aren't a Tivo user, just how are they going to have any record of you?

Posted by: Philosofy

quote:
Originally posted by SpacemanSpiff
How does a D* user go about opting out of TiVo's data collection though? I'm not a TiVo customer, I've never had contact with them. If I call to opt out, will they have any record of me (other than the data that has been collected via the phone calls home?)

TiVo doesn't collect any data on non-TiVo subscribers. (Just in case that post was serious. I'm having trouble differentiating these days.)

Posted by: drew2k

quote:
Originally posted by SpacemanSpiff
How does a D* user go about opting out of TiVo's data collection though? I'm not a TiVo customer, I've never had contact with them. If I call to opt out, will they have any record of me (other than the data that has been collected via the phone calls home?)

By your use of D* I don't know if you mean a stand-alone DirecTV receiver or are referring to a DirecTV receiver with DVR service by TiVo. If it's the latter, here are the relevant paragrpahs from the DirecTV Privacy Policy regarding DirecTV DVRs with TiVo.

quote:
IX. DIRECTV® DVR Service
The following section applies to the DIRECTV® DVR with TiVo® service
(“DIRECTV DVR service”).

A. Subscriber information definitions
In discussing the kind of information collected in connection with your DIRECTV
DVR service, it is important to distinguish between anonymous information and
other information that specifically identifies you or your household. We use
“Subscriber Information” as a general term that refers to any information relating
to you or your use of the DIRECTV DVR service. The following are more specific
types of subscriber information:

:::

4. “Anonymous Viewing Information” means information about viewing
choices that you and those in your household make while using your
DIRECTV DVR, but is not associated with or linked to your Account
Information or any other information DIRECTV has about your account.
Your DIRECTV DVR sends Anonymous Viewing Information to us on an
ongoing basis. This information allows us to know that a subscriber from
a particular ZIP code watched certain programming but we are unable to
associate those viewing choices with you. You may request that we block
the collection of Anonymous Viewing Information from your DIRECTV DVR
as described in Section IX.C. below.

:::

B. Use of Subscriber Information

:::

4. Anonymous Viewing Information: We may use Anonymous Viewing
Information to develop reports and analyses about what programs,
advertisements, and types of programming our subscribers (as a whole or
in subgroups) watch or skip, or for other programming or advertising
research. For example, we may use Anonymous Viewing Information to
develop inferences that people who watch show X also watch show Y. We
also may use Anonymous Viewing Information to help with the investigation
of technical issues with our systems.

C. Your Choices Regarding our Collection and Use of Subscriber Information
The default privacy preferences, to which you hereby consent if you do not
request a change to your settings, do not allow us to collect Personally
Identifiable Viewing Information, but do allow us to collect, use and disclose
Anonymous Viewing Information and Diagnostic Information logs, in addition to
Account Information, in manners consistent with this Privacy Policy. Commerce
Information is collected, used and disclosed only upon your affirmative response
to an offer.
You may choose to change your privacy preferences to allow us to collect
Personally Identifiable Viewing Information. Even though Anonymous Viewing
Information does not include any Account Information whatsoever, ou may
request that we block the collection of such information from your DIRECTV
System or DIRECTV DVR. You may also request that we limit the collection of
Diagnostic Information logs from your DIRECTV DVR. You may further opt not to
receive communications that we send to you based on your Account Information.

If you make this choice, you understand that we will not be able to inform you
about any upcoming features, improvements or promotions regarding your
DIRECTV service. In all cases, however, we will collect and use your Account
Information (including Service Information).

Posted by: BHyde

I went to the subscriber privacy information listed in Section IX C of the DirecTV Privacy Policy, and saw that DTV gives subscribers the option to select other privacy choices. But it doesn't tell how to elect those other options. How does one notify DTV if one wishes a different privacy option than the default?