Skip to main content

Kinect’s camera could record data for advertisers

KinectEveryone who’s attempted any of the dance or sports games for Kinect knows about that horrible part where the game shows you…you. That motion sensor you think you’re controlling? It records everything you’ve been doing, and much to your chagrin, shows you the embarrassing footage.

Apparently it’s more than just embarrassing users, it’s spying on them – or rather, might in the future. This isn’t some Y2K-apocalypse-Big Brother tracks-your-passport kind of hunch either. At a conference yesterday a Microsoft executive confirmed to the audience that this is something the company is looking into.

Microsoft’s Dennis Durkin said yesterday that Kinect could help the company “be more targeted about what content choices we present; what advertising we present; how to get better feedback and data; about how many people are in a room when an advertisement is shown; how many people are in a room when a game in being played.” As users can see when playing the games, the camera can differentiate between different players, and this can actually extend to judging how much viewers are interested in any given game. Kinect also can record sound, which makes the job even easier.

Durkin gave an example, saying if people were watching a sporting event, the camera could see what jerseys they were wearing and deduce what team they support. Then advertisers would be able to specifically tailor to them.

While this sounds undeniably creepy, it’s not very different than how Facebook ads work. Users supply information in their accounts and profiles – in some cases, much more than would ever be available to Kinect. Pictures, relationships, complete listings of favorite books, foods, movies, websites, etc. But some could argue that the key difference is a person can control (to a certain degree) precisely what and how much information to make available to the site’s advertisers. If Kinect does begin to use this technology for marketing purposes, you would be automatically offering up (at the very least) your image, sex, general age, and skill level. It might not sound like a lot, but it’s enough for advertisers.

If it’s any consolation, marketers would receive this information in the traditional numbers and charts format, versus actual video footage.

Don’t destroy your Kinect in an Orwellian-inspired fury just yet though. In response to a Wall Street Journal blog about the matter, Microsoft reassured users today that none of its systems “use any information captured by Kinect for advertising targeting purposes.” They can, but they’re not. Yet.

Molly McHugh
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Before coming to Digital Trends, Molly worked as a freelance writer, occasional photographer, and general technical lackey…
Microsoft just discovered the next big evolution in displays
Resident Evil 4 running on the LG UltraGear 45 gaming monitor.

Microsoft is working on a new patent that aims to bring unprecedented levels of control to displays. The new tech, dubbed Pixel Luminesce for Digital Display, allows you to micromanage every single pixel of your display, adjusting the brightness as needed. If and when this makes it out of the development stage, it could end up being huge for all sorts of use cases, and could bring major improvements to some of the best gaming monitors.

The patent application describing the tech, first shared by Windows Report, describes the new technology as something that would enable selective dimming. With Microsoft's new tech, you could decide that one part of the display stays brighter while the rest of it remains unaffected, and this would happen dynamically.

Read more
These are the 10 best gaming PCs I’d recommend to anyone
Graphics card in the CLX Hathor PC.

We review dozens of gaming PCs each year. In 2024, there are a ton of great options, but we've narrowed down a list of the 10 best gaming desktops that deserve your hard-earned money.

In 2024, we still recommend the Alienware Aurora R16 due to its fantastic design, solid performance, and decent value. However, there are several other options depending on your needs and budget. If you want a deeper look into how we evaluate gaming PCs, make sure to read our post on how we review desktops.

Read more
I tested the three best 14-inch gaming laptops. There’s a clear winner
Cyberpunk 2077 running on the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14.

Over the past few years, the category of 14-inch gaming laptops has grown tremendously. You'll find multiple models among the best gaming laptops, but there are three key designs that are all begging to be your high-end portable gaming powerhouse.

I'm talking about the Razer Blade 14, Asus ROG Zephyrus G14, and HP Omen Transcend 14. All three are thin and light gaming laptops that pack the latest hardware from Intel, AMD, and Nvidia, and they all deliver an excellent gaming experience. There are a surprising number of differences between the three laptops, however, and one of them has a clear edge.
Specs and pricing

Read more