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Is Dish Spying on me?

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Agonizing Fury

SatelliteGuys Pro
Original poster
May 22, 2008
723
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I'm sorry if this post seems alarmist, but I have done some research to try to verify the info before posting. I seem to be running into dead ends a lot, so I thought I would ask here.

I recently read an article (TV, Meet the Web. Google Analytics Starts Measuring TV Ads) about Google's new TV Analytics software. Google Claims this service can give advertisers the ability to see "tuning behavior during your ad via second-by-second data from millions of set-top-boxes" (direct quote from TV Ads - AdWords - Google) According to the tech crunch article this project is currently limited to Dish Network Advertising. So needless to say my first step is to ask Dish Network about it. Here is how that conversation went:

Note: I have removed my personal information from the conversation as well as replacing my real name with my Assumed Name on this board

It seems that if they are indeed collecting this info, they certainly want to maintain plausible deniability by not informing their CSRs of it. I am still waiting on a reply to that conversation. I decided to read Dish Network's Privacy Policy (DISH Network -- Subscriber Privacy Notice) while I waited and found this interesting little tidbit

It does seem to be limited to when using interactive features, but then again DVR could be considered an interactive feature. The other thing I found interesting about the Privacy policy is it only describes collection and sharing practices with regards to Personally identifiable information. It makes no statements whatsoever about collection or sharing of data that they might consider anonymous (Such as "anonymous" data about subscribers viewing habits). I would really appreciate some info on this from someone who may be more in the know about this than me.

Agonizing Fury

Note: I will update you in the event that I receive a reply from dish network regarding this issue.
 
In that STB_HEALTH file ( search here for an example ) you'll not see your name, address, phone, SSN, driver license, medical records, 401k and tax return for last five years;
there are full info about your DVR, HDD, LNBFs, signals, clicks, programs, popups, etc.
 
Get your aluminum foil hat on the government is coming to get you. Seriously, do you think everyone is after you?
 
Dish's new satellite EchoStar 11 actually has a camera that is pointed towards Earth... I hear that it is aimed at your bedroom window !
 
I think you guy are really jabbing the OP hard for asking a legitimate question and taking the time to post about his experience here. Any time someone is collecting information from me, about me, or about what I do, I'd like to know what that information contains.

Now.... that being said.... this is the information age. Companies collect aggregate data in a variety of ways all the time. If it's for their OWN use internally for the purpose of maintenance or improving service or features.... go for it.

When they start SHARING that collected data with someone else, then I think it's perfectly legitimate to want to know exactly what it is they are sharing, HOW it's being shared, with whom, and for what purpose.
 
Reactions: DJ Lon
this is 2008, no questions about privacy are ligit. you have not had privcy since the 1960s. the government connected a computer to the phone system to catch 'reds' does the government ever stop doing anything?
i truly hope nobody really thinks they have privacy anywhere in the world. no foil hats required. the thing to remember is that most of our lives are very boring and would not be much fun to watch. computers do this real good and can produce an overall image of what we like to do. then the producers of that type of product or service can start making more. what else do we need? give us what we want and we'll forget how you know.
 
Okay, okay...let's tone down the "evil governemnt and black helicopter" spewing and go back to the subject at hand.

Dish does collect the information from your receiver and piles it along with the others. It does NOT have any personally identifyable info like address. It bundles cities together, I think, by zip code and presents it: here is what viewers in X area are watching.

This has been going on for some time with cable. Dish now has the ability to track this info by the second so that you can precicesly tell whether a commercial is being displayed on the TV (or skipped) and by how many people.

Again, there is no personally identifyable info involved.

BTW, I think only DVR receivers have this capability.

See ya
Tony
 
Well, Tony - Dish always COULD find who is own the DVR/IRD. Then it will be just routine job to get more personal info about the customer (SSN, address, etc).
 
Actually, I am not certain, but I think the program that collects the vewing info doesn't have the capability to distinguish exactly where the info came from beyond the zip code. Again, I am not sure about this.
 
Smith said:
There are IRD number/date/time/ZIP/etc - enough to identify actually who watched what - kid or adult.
Click to expand...

When is the fitting for the tin foil hat?

Really...

I am not certain the IRD number is part of the agragate info.

Again, it could be, but I don't think that is included in the released info.

See ya
Tony
 
Those three little eyes on the front of the receiver, one is for IR remote, the other two are cameras for watching us! Stereo vision even.
 
Tivo done it for years then sold it to "neilson. They collect your info, then SELL it to the advertisers. That is the TRUE reason for phone line connection. A source of revenue!!!!!
Heck with TIVO they MAKE you pay them for the DVR service then sell the info they collect from you. When I saw the new dish privacy statement, and the "unidentifiable info" clause I posted about it then but was no taken seriously..
 
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