Mall tracks customer phones - UK

[dipsydoodle]

A Portsmouth shopping centre which has been tracking its customers by monitoring their mobile phones has been criticised.

See video here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7460270.stm

Does this go on in the USA too ?

edit - BBC doesn't stream abroad. Times link here : http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article3945496.ece

[habitual]

1. I guess they don't want US users to see their vids

as i get this error when i try to view your link:

Cannot play media. Sorry, this media is not available in your territory.

oh well.

[dipsydoodle]

2. That's a shame

I know their iPlayer can't be streamed to the USA but their normal limnks are usually ok.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

6. I just went to the BBC site and I can view not only other video reports but cricket live. It seems

there is some reason why they are blocking that video????

[dipsydoodle]

3. Here's another link from last month with narrative

Customers in shopping centres are having their every move tracked by a new type of surveillance that listens in on the whisperings of their mobile phones.

The technology can tell when people enter a shopping centre, what stores they visit, how long they remain there, and what route they take as they walked around.

The device cannot access personal details about a person’s identity or contacts, but privacy campaigners expressed concern about potential intrusion should the data fall into the wrong hands.

The surveillance mechanism works by monitoring the signals produced by mobile handsets and then locating the phone by triangulation – measuring the phone’s distance from three receivers.

http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article3945496.ece

[high density]

7. Doesn't sound too scary (yet)

It basically sounds to me like a physical form of web browser cookies. I don't see a problem as long as no personal information is being merged with the data. Now if the mall starts using the IMEI code to link phones to people, that crosses a line.

[midnight]

4. O that's alright, The government says it is for our own safety.

How much more monitoring will they get away with under the disguise of safety?

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

5. Not streaming in the US? That seems pretty new. Guess they're afraid we'd find out some of the Real

News here. Our government can't have that, can they?

[dipsydoodle]

9. It's not that -

it don't work the other way round either with some of the music sites which stream free music. I'm not sure how international agreements work on streaming but it's not government related which makes a change.......lol.

edit : I just checked out of curiousity and last fm do stream to the UK now - they didn't at first.


Be it ever so 'umble there's no place like ohm.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

11. lol! I just got a little charge out of that!

Sorry...I couldn't resist......

:) :hi:

[dipsydoodle]

12. I'll have to think of some new ones for you

:hi:

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

13. I look forward to it!

You have cool energy!

:hi:

[dipsydoodle]

14. Just for now.

Keep "The 'Ohm Fires Burning" , WW1 song ,with really cool harp and 5 string backing - even got the full intro words
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iYhIRkeF80 Good isn't she - Welsh girl whose voice reminds me of Melanie Safka.

Shouldn't think for one minute you'd prefer McCain '0hm Fries :rofl:

[AlCzervik]

8. it sounds like some awful invasive marketing plan, what stores are people going in to, what

type of shirts do they like to buy and so on. It's like a big focus group minus the questions.

[MadHound]

10. Hell, screw tracking you in the mall, the US is gearing up to track you across the country

And the suckers are continuing to buy their own tracking devices, cellphones.

There has been a concerted push in the past few years to start tracking people via their cell phone. Some states give out the excuse that it is for purposes of "traffic control", others simply aren't giving any explanation, they're just tracking you. If you go anywhere in my home state of Missouri, you're tracked. The only way to prevent this is to either keep your cell phone off(perhaps taking out the battery is the most certain way), or leave the cell at home. <http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9698139>

And while the powers that be are currently stating that even though your cell phone broadcast a unique code identifying it, you will supposedly be tracked anonymously:eyes: Riiight.

Oh, and let's not forget those wonderful things like Onstar, which can not only track you, but listen in on your in-car conversations, and GPS monitors which are also wonderful tracking devices.

But hey! It's new, it's high tech! It's the latest electronic toy! People continue to flock into the stores to buy their very own tracking devices and other electronic paraphernalia to plug themselves right into Big Bro. Crazy, utterly crazy, we're forging our own shackles and paying for the privilege of wearing them. Ain't technology grand:eyes: