CatZoomies

All you had to do was stay in my ass.

Exactly, and this is additionally why it is predatory: you can't opt out.

It's similar to Facebook. If you never in your life ever created a profile, well, Facebook has one for you regardless.

The only way you can opt out of bluetooth beacons is to not bring your phone/smart watch/etc, or have either a hardware switch that disables your network functions or put it in a faraday cage. Also, because of data profiles and associations, if you're walking into a store with your partner, expect that your partner should do the same or else it's all moot. You're associated with your partner and thus tracking and profiling occurs anyway.

No tinfoil hat needed. Retail stores are equipped with bluetooth beacons that tracks and monitors customer behavior. This in turn can be sold for targeted advertising. Another scary thought is that the tracking is so precise, it measures the distance your phone is from a product, including height. How high is the phone from the ground? The data points can be extrapolated to influence product placement: what products and prices influenced a customer to bend down and look at/interact with the product? How long were they in close proximity with the product? Based on the phone’s orientation, were they bent down to look at or passing by the product (indicating that they stopped for a separate reason and not necessarily for the product)? Did they buy it? Were they looking for coupons in my “retail store app” while next to the product, or somewhere else in the store? Where do customers often stop or gather in order to browse through coupons? Could we place Y products there? Where should we put the product in stores to maximize sales? What ads can we send to them as they arrive at the store? Based on aggregated data with the rich profile we built for this customer, are they likely to sign up for our rewards credit card? What is this customer’s income level? Have they purchased X product recently? What part of town do they live in? What products are popular there? Et cetera ad nauseum.

Tracking is so predatory. Makes me look at my smart phone with disgust as the years go by, and I periodically grapple with the decision if a smart phone is even right for me or if it’s time to stick to a computer and a truly dumb phone going forward.

Some public info about Bluetooth beacons: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/06/14/opinion/bluetooth-wireless-tracking-privacy.html

Want to find Bluetooth beacons? Simply install a Bluetooth scanner app from your phone and head to a store to see them.

Here’s how Shopify engages businesses on how to utilize Bluetooth beacons with their software package. Bought anything online? That site was most likely powered by Shopify: https://www.shopify.com/retail/the-ultimate-guide-to-using-beacon-technology-for-retail-stores

Not yet, I’ll be working on it tomorrow or this weekend. Have a couple personal obligations but I’ll be drawing winners using the original post

If I connect a new Logitech mouse with a dedicated AI button to this, will the two AIs collaborate, or will they fight each other for control to win my affection?

I’ve had no excitement for this game since Ubisoft is such a disappointment of mediocrity. I grew bitter to them back when they announced the controversial shutting down of their legacy activation servers: this would prevent gamers from passing the online checks to play their games. Suddenly, despite me possessing a physical disc of Splinter Cell Blacklist on Wii U, I learned I would lose access to the DLC I paid for and “owned”. Certain missions would also become unplayable since you need online co-op. Ubisoft backpedaled after significant backlash from gamers, but since then I hesitate whenever I see them attached to any project.

I miss old Ubisoft. I’m playing Beyond Good & Evil 2003 on my GameCube for the first time, and this game is spectacular! Wish Ubisoft didn’t become evil, but it was inevitable.

Thanks, this is the actual quote from The Office. I dislike that the meme gets it wrong and says “Sir, this is a Wendy’s.”

It is like misquoting Darth Vader saying “Luke, I am your father” when the actual quote is “No, I am your father”.

Same dude. My love for Ash’s Pikachu was cemented when, as a kid, I watched Pikachu tank a lightning bolt and save Ash from a swarm of Spearow. Such a great episode and a memory that kid me will never forget, an invaluable lesson about friendship and love.

That episode made me beg my parents for Pokémon Red. Ha, and Pocket Pikachu now that I think about it - the Pokémon Tamagatchi.

I’m off to the playground to get shredded.

You mean the gym, right?

…

Right?

Ah yes, Hitachi Station: the purveyor of power converters.

“What?”