Google Seeks Patent For Required Commercial Viewing
from the pissing-off-viewers? dept
theodp writes "I don't want my GTV. Excerpts from a newly-published Google patent application for Targeted Video Advertising: [1] 'Users may be allowed to skip particular commercials, but required to watch or accept a set number of commercials in order to watch a program. The required number may be, for example, a set integer, such as 11 commercials.' [2] 'The system...may also require the user to fully watch at least four promotions before the program will continue.' [3] 'The profile includes some demographic information of the user, such as income, age, and gender. This information may be obtained when the user registers for the video service.' [4] 'A commercial with the interactive format is an advertisement that requires user interaction to be completed (e.g., a survey).' Yikes."This is only at the application stage, but it's difficult to see this getting anywhere. There are already interstitial advertising systems online that do exactly what appears to be described in this patent. But, even more to the point, in the past when companies have patented concepts such as preventing people from skipping over commercials, the backlash has been pretty loud.
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Filed Under: commercials, patents, skipping, tv
Companies: google
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Let's hope. . .
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Re:
Well, patent clearance is not an unusual motive for doing something like this. Although I must say, if the application isn't enabling, it may not do them much good either way.
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Double ugh
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Backlash?
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I think this one is to battle MS (who have one the same)
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Newsfomercial
Now days, everything is an ad
In other news, Barcalounger has applied for a patent on a chair which activates viewer restraints upon sensing an advertisement thus forcing the occupant to watch. Also included is a mechanism to force the eye lids open and the correct head positioning.
There is a new patent application which stops people from talking during the ads.
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Unbelieveable!
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Re: Unbelieveable!
If you don't like having to watch ads, your alternatives will ultimately come down to paying for content in some way (including the possibility of paying for an ad-free version, or paying in man-hours to find ways of getting around the ads) or content made available as a not-for-profit service. And guess which of your choices is going to be lowest in average quality... And please note this is obviously an overall generalization, to which there are and will be exceptions.
Hey, wait, that's exactly how it's always been on actual tv since the advent of cable (and before, without the option to pay for ad-free content). Wow. What an outrage.
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Oh well
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