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"We use the information we collect to send you promotional messages and content and otherwise market to you on and off our Services. We also use this informatio

"We use the information we collect to send you promotional messages and content and otherwise market to you on and off our Services. We also use this information to measure how users respond to our marketing efforts." "Virtual reality offers an unparalleled level of access to data for advertisers. Before metrics were measured in how long someone watched a video or how many times a link was clicked, but with VR you can get far more granular. An ad executive at Coke, for instance, could tell just how long you stared at the Coke bottle cleverly placed inside your favorite game as an in-game ad and use that data to better place it in the game for you next time." It amazes me that before this technology is even out and proven to work, and be a success with consumers, Facebook have already set up monitoring software to develop even more targeted advertising. At least Microsoft had the decency to wait a few versions with Windows first...

stesch 11y ago
A lot of people feared that something like this could happen after Facebook acquired Oculus. It would have been a nice move if they would have respected the users privacy this time just to spite the critics.
spdustin 11y ago
This is why Facebook bought it to begin with, IMHO. They've got some smart people there who are prescient enough to take their web-based intent-oriented analytics and figure out that head tracking (similar to eye tracking used in UX studies sometimes) would be immensely valuable to track a lingering gaze.
onewaystreet 11y ago
That Coke paragraph isn't from Facebook, it's the article's author speculating.
- nitrogen 11y ago
  It's the first paragraph that is far more concerning anyway. The Coke is just a mild example of something that can get far worse. If this is VR, VR must die.
  - onewaystreet 11y ago
    It's not a mild example when the truth is that they are collecting basic usage data for app recommendation and promotion just like everyone else does.
    - nitrogen 11y ago
      No, not everyone else does. That's the worst excuse ever. If I buy a new monitor it's not telling Asus or Dell or HP what apps I'm using or what I look at for how long.
      - sudojudo 11y ago
        Thank you. onewaystreet touched on something that's quite bothersome to many of us: End-user apathy via argumentum ad populum. Using (or buying) adware, malware, and spyware is not normal, and everyone isn't doing it. When that ugliness rears its head, people need reminded that it's not normal, it's abusive. These companies aren't poor startups trying to make ends meet, they're corporate empires who are exploiting their users in every way possible. Apologies for being preachy, this topic really gets under my skin.
      - cududa 11y ago
        No but it tells Microsoft that, or Apple. And they've been collecting data like that since XP. You're just being an alarmist. I for one don't really care if VR ads are tracking information like that, I kinda figured it was a given. In game ads on consoles have existed for 10+ Years, and guess what? Tracking how long the ad is on the screen was already included.
        nitrogen 11y ago
        This is supposed to be a dumb peripheral, so users can decide whether to accept psychological analysis and manipulation.
        cududa 11y ago
raverbashing 11y ago
At least using Facebook is free Paying for the Ad Machine? This is ridiculous
- nivla 11y ago
  Well to be fair, you are not paying to use Win 10 and also its a free upgrade. On the bright side, unlike FB, you can actually install 3rd party apps and setup firewall to gain that privacy back.
  - pdkl95 11y ago
    > install 3rd party apps and setup firewall to gain that privacy back. Yet you're still paying for Win 10 with either money or market share, thus signaling your acceptance of that spyware. MS will continue adding exploitative features until it starts to hurt the only things they care about: revenue or market share.
    - nivla 11y ago
      You are also paying for the Oculus hardware while having no recourse to privacy even if you wanted. I am not saying Windows 10 doesn't have privacy issues, but when compared to Facebook's approach, it is far better.
  - ionised 11y ago
    > Well to be fair, you are not paying to use Win 10 and also its a free upgrade. Some people got a free upgrade. Others will pay for Windows 10.

stesch 11y ago

A lot of people feared that something like this could happen after Facebook acquired Oculus. It would have been a nice move if they would have respected the users privacy this time just to spite the critics.

spdustin 11y ago

This is why Facebook bought it to begin with, IMHO. They've got some smart people there who are prescient enough to take their web-based intent-oriented analytics and figure out that head tracking (similar to eye tracking used in UX studies sometimes) would be immensely valuable to track a lingering gaze.

onewaystreet 11y ago

That Coke paragraph isn't from Facebook, it's the article's author speculating.

nitrogen 11y ago
It's the first paragraph that is far more concerning anyway. The Coke is just a mild example of something that can get far worse. If this is VR, VR must die.
- onewaystreet 11y ago
  It's not a mild example when the truth is that they are collecting basic usage data for app recommendation and promotion just like everyone else does.
  - nitrogen 11y ago
    No, not everyone else does. That's the worst excuse ever. If I buy a new monitor it's not telling Asus or Dell or HP what apps I'm using or what I look at for how long.
    - sudojudo 11y ago
      Thank you. onewaystreet touched on something that's quite bothersome to many of us: End-user apathy via argumentum ad populum. Using (or buying) adware, malware, and spyware is not normal, and everyone isn't doing it. When that ugliness rears its head, people need reminded that it's not normal, it's abusive. These companies aren't poor startups trying to make ends meet, they're corporate empires who are exploiting their users in every way possible. Apologies for being preachy, this topic really gets under my skin.
    - cududa 11y ago
      No but it tells Microsoft that, or Apple. And they've been collecting data like that since XP. You're just being an alarmist. I for one don't really care if VR ads are tracking information like that, I kinda figured it was a given. In game ads on consoles have existed for 10+ Years, and guess what? Tracking how long the ad is on the screen was already included.
      - nitrogen 11y ago
        This is supposed to be a dumb peripheral, so users can decide whether to accept psychological analysis and manipulation.
        cududa 11y ago

raverbashing 11y ago

At least using Facebook is free Paying for the Ad Machine? This is ridiculous

nivla 11y ago
Well to be fair, you are not paying to use Win 10 and also its a free upgrade. On the bright side, unlike FB, you can actually install 3rd party apps and setup firewall to gain that privacy back.
- pdkl95 11y ago
  > install 3rd party apps and setup firewall to gain that privacy back. Yet you're still paying for Win 10 with either money or market share, thus signaling your acceptance of that spyware. MS will continue adding exploitative features until it starts to hurt the only things they care about: revenue or market share.
  - nivla 11y ago
    You are also paying for the Oculus hardware while having no recourse to privacy even if you wanted. I am not saying Windows 10 doesn't have privacy issues, but when compared to Facebook's approach, it is far better.
- ionised 11y ago
  > Well to be fair, you are not paying to use Win 10 and also its a free upgrade. Some people got a free upgrade. Others will pay for Windows 10.