My friend Bob Thompson asks a reasonable question about TiVo:
Why would I buy a product that allows the manufacturer to keep track not just of what programs I watch, but the details about how I watch them?
My answer: why wouldn’t you? Every system other than OTA broadcasting has the ability to track individual viewer usage. If you actually read TiVo’s privacy policy, you’ll see that TiVo can’t pull any identifiable data on shows that you have watched, recorded, or rated unless you opt in. They can pull some anonymous data. Their policy says that
“This information allows TiVo to know that a TiVo service user from a particular ZIP code watched certain programming but we are unable to associate those viewing choices with you. If you use the TiVo Plus service, you may request that TiVo block the collection of Anonymous Viewing Information from your TiVo DVR.”
I’m OK with that; in part, that anonymous data allows them to develop inferences about program relationships (e.g. if I record 24, I might also like MI-5 or Alias.) Since there’s a way to opt out of having identifiable data sent to TiVo (and since that’s off by default, IIRC), I am willing to allow the anonymous information to be collected. Hands down, the $600 ($340 for the unit, $250 for the lifetime service) we paid for our TiVo four years ago has been our best technology investment ever.
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