Microsoft Tells Gmail Users They're Being 'Scroogled'

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Just think. Microsoft had all those hotmail/MSN users so long ago and did nothing good with them.

They're just jealous!

Honestly, a computer doesn't understand what your emails say. It can't not draw conclusions about your personal life. If just shows an ad when prompted.

This is like bad politics.


 
[citation][nom]Cheesevillage[/nom]Honestly, a computer doesn't understand what your emails say. It can't not draw conclusions about your personal life. If just shows an ad when prompted.[/citation]

If a large number of web traffic from your account is related to porn, then it's quite likely that an algorithm will pick it up and respond accordingly.

In fact, Target's consumer algorithm predicted a teenager girl's pregnancy, before her father did: http://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2012/02/16/how-target-figured-out-a-teen-girl-was-pregnant-before-her-father-did/
 
EDIT: You can also gleam what products the account user prefer based on the email account's activity. An account with large number of college application or scholarship stuff indicates that the user is heading to college soon. An account with Tom's Hardware or Anandtech email coming in regularly may indicate that the user is a savvy tech user.
 
I think age is going to play a big role in how people view this. Honestly i'm 24 and it's become the norm that not only is snooping like this acceptable, it's actually encouraged for people to give away information via microupdates on twitter, facebook, et al.

it's like those old IBM ads said, something to the effect of "there's so much information floating around untapped, if we could analyze it we can learn much"

they're just learning what to sell us, is all.
 
"Outlook.com is different—we don’t go through your email to sell ads." - Perhaps not, but that definitely doesn't say that they don't go through your email. Doesn't instill any trust in MS.
 
[citation][nom]Cheesevillage[/nom]Honestly, a computer doesn't understand what your emails say. It can't not draw conclusions about your personal life.[/citation]
It can and does. Keywords can be linked and related words can be generated. Same way youtube's recommended videos work. And if Google really wanted to, they can probably pin point exactly who you are, where you are likely to work, where you are likely to live, your facebook, age, ect, ect. Software algorithms can do all that if you send out and receive enough emails.

 
[citation][nom]math1337[/nom]Unfortunately, outlook/hotmail is just bad. As it is now, gmail is so much better that it's worth the invasion of privacy.[/citation]

Based on what? Have you used it? What don't you like about it?
 
@Cheesevillage Yes, but that data is stored somewhere and stored data can be viewed by humans, hacked, given to government agencies, etc. I'm sure this data stays even after the email is deleted too...
 
M$, is doing the same thing with its METRO UI/ADWARE OS, kettle to pot: You're doing it too! It just more ad revenue from tallywacker enhancement on the redmond side of the equation!
 
[citation][nom]M$SpinOMatic[/nom]M$, is doing the same thing with its METRO UI/ADWARE OS, kettle to pot: You're doing it too! It just more ad revenue from tallywacker enhancement on the redmond side of the equation![/citation]

What are you talking about?
 
[citation][nom]esrever[/nom]It can and does. Keywords can be linked and related words can be generated. Same way youtube's recommended videos work. And if Google really wanted to, they can probably pin point exactly who you are, where you are likely to work, where you are likely to live, your facebook, age, ect, ect. Software algorithms can do all that if you send out and receive enough emails.[/citation]

Lol of course it can find out who you are and where you live, that information is plastered all over e-bills and e-statements. While information like that could be dangerous in the wrong hands, what this Microsoft is "warning" you about is Google using certain information to advertise to you. Apples and oranges.
 
[citation][nom]getochkn[/nom]"This campaign is online at scroogled.com but Google is also planning print ads in newspapers."Don't you mean Microsfot is planning print ad's in newspapers?[/citation]

No, Google is going to ironically advertise for Hotmail... or Live Mail... or Outlook... or... what the hell are they calling it now?
 
[citation][nom]math1337[/nom]Unfortunately, outlook/hotmail is just bad. As it is now, gmail is so much better that it's worth the invasion of privacy.[/citation]
That's funny because my opinion is polar opposite to yours.
Just taking a look at Gmail interface makes me sick in comparison to Outlook's (and no, I'm not interested in customizing Gmail's interface to my liking, before you suggest it).
 
[citation][nom]casualcolors[/nom]Microsoft may be petty, but they do have a point. I'm sure most Gmail users are not aware that this goes on, either.[/citation]
I'm fully aware of it mostly. As long as I am not forced to see it(gmail users have the right to turn off email ads through their settings) and someone someone buys information about what i like and such, the more collective information, new products can be generated. Whats to say that going onto this site with like chrome or something, you are basically giving google information that you are into computers and technology. it isn't anything new, data mining is probably the current most lucrative market.
 
Surprised at how many people think this is OK.

Yet last year when it was discovered that Apple was tracking your location (not you personally, but the device) people on Tom's were livid that Apple would stoop so low and invade your privacy.

Hypocrites much?
 
I kind of understood from the get go that using any email provider was going to come with privacy snooping. I have known this since the existence of email. It sucks, but it does and forever will happen.

MS does the same exact thing, as far as I know.
 
[citation][nom]A Bad Day[/nom]If a large number of web traffic from your account is related to porn, then it's quite likely that an algorithm will pick it up and respond accordingly.In fact, Target's consumer algorithm predicted a teenager girl's pregnancy, before her father did: http://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmi [...] ather-did/[/citation]

i think i'm going to use an old contact and apply for a short term contract advisory position with target tomorrow. seems to me they do more research than they need to, just based on their contraceptive vs pregnancy test purchases they could reduce most of that research, it's kind of obvious that if the contraceptives don't keep being purchased after the pregnancy test were purchased and for several months there's a bundle of joy on the way.
 
What ever MS you tool for the FEDS. I know Gmail is run by a leftist too but I will stick with my Gmail over your Mail, tried it, and it probed my Mac so who is the real spy MS, lying bastards.
 
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