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Okay, they don't know exactly who you are, but these high-tech advertizing platforms can determine what sort of person you might be. A consortium of 11 railway companies are running a one year trial called the Digital Signage Promotion Project. The billboards will be able to scan individuals and determine their age and gender.
The identification process is apparently quite fast, requiring that people only glance at the display for a moment. Facial recognition software is used to determine who is viewing the advertisement, but the images captured are supposed to be deleted afterward. Operators will not be matching ads to individual people, only to demographics. So, we're still a ways away from the Minority Report system that remembers your purchases.
So exactly how weird does this seem to you? We're constantly being advertised to on the internet based on our demographics. Is it just the image capture element that makes these new billboards feel shady?
Comments are closed on this article
violian
July 16, 2010 at 11:09am
They plan on showing different ads to different demographics? That wouldn't fly in the US because it'd be considered racist.
Darth_Xavius
July 16, 2010 at 12:25pm
Well according to your assumption, the targeted ads displayed on many websites would be considered rascist, which they are not. Facebook is a big one, as based on age, gender, likes, dislikes, and other information, targeted specific ads are displayed on the right hand portion of the home page. It is not rascist to target consumer ads based on race, gender, or age.
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Dre2Dee2
July 16, 2010 at 8:23am
"New Billboards in Tokyo Know Who You Are"
Me: Wow, that sounds interesting!
First line of this garbage article: Okay, they don't know exactly who you are...
What the hell? You have to resort to these sad tactics? "Godzilla attacks Tokyo!" "Ok, so Godzilla didn't do that at all..."
Didn't bother to read this. Waste of time. Fire this writer
Michael Ellis
July 16, 2010 at 8:35am
Someone needs an espresso........
HP Pavilion Elite e9280t AW020AV-ABA
johnnyathm1
July 16, 2010 at 1:57am
It should prove to be interesting where this type of biometric technology eventually take us as a society. Law enforcement, corporate security, community infrastructures, and yes...advertisement firms are just a few of the many groups that can expect to achieve gains in this field of research. Ready or not, it is most definitely on its way into our lives.
John Garn
SGT, United States Army
bingojubes
July 15, 2010 at 5:00pm
this actually might be pretty cool, but i would then wonder about all of the male enhancement ads males would get as they glance at the screen.
i wish it could eventually take one step further and determine personality - then as some gloomy person strolls past it could read on the screen "Who's Awesome? You're Awesome!" or "Please refrain from discharging your wepons inside of the mall today. Thank you for your cooperation."
But wasn't there a mall or something that greets people in different languages based on nationality as they entered through the doors?
Comaghee
July 15, 2010 at 4:04pm
What would it advertise if someone were to walk past wearing a hockey mask and carrying a chainsaw?
Heh heh...
someuid
July 15, 2010 at 3:39pm
I wonder what will happen the first time a teen female is identified and an ad for training bras and feminine napkins is displayed.
quickone
July 15, 2010 at 3:03pm
Shady as hell you mean?
~~The difference between insanity and genius is merely succes~~
pepper_roni
July 15, 2010 at 2:55pm
more like fuckin awesome... I want one of those to greet people that come to my house *detects jehovahs witness* "GO FUCK YOURSELF"
