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Verizon Patents a DVR That Watches You

The device uses a microphone and camera to track your actions for advertising purposes.

We've all heard that old conspiracy theory that the government watches us through our TVs but, up until recently, the technology hasn't even been in place to allow that. Verizon's new patent reveals that it's not necessarily the government that wants to spy on our personal habits – it’s the advertisers.

Verizon's patented DVR includes both a camera and a microphone so that your activities can be monitored. The DVR is programmed to recognize certain behaviors and target advertising to those participating in them. The patent suggests two such options. The sounds of an argument could prompt ads for marriage counseling while sounds of "cuddling" – the parentheses are theirs – would trigger ads for contraceptives.

Verizon isn't the first company to patent this kind of products, but like Comcast and Google before them, they've yet to actually turn it into a real thing.

Source: Electronic House

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