Google Seeks Patent For Required Commercial Viewing

from the pissing-off-viewers? dept

Wed, Apr 30th 2008 3:36pm — Mike Masnick

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

11 Comments

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CVPunk, 30 Apr 2008 @ 4:30pm

?
Blow up your GTV??
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Jason Phillips (profile), 30 Apr 2008 @ 4:37pm

Let's hope. . .
Let's hope that this is a patent being applied for as a defensive posture only. Even then -- wow, really.
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haha, 30 Apr 2008 @ 4:46pm

Maybe google isn't planning on using this... they just don't want others to lol
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Pete Dixon, 30 Apr 2008 @ 4:51pm

Double ugh
I haven't owned a TV in years because I couldn't handle the distraction of being forced to attend to meaningless, unwanted drivel. If Google intends on pursuing this is better be presenting highly targeted information even more interesting than what I was intending to watch.
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Willton, 30 Apr 2008 @ 7:13pm

Re:
Conformity - It's the one who's different that gets left out in the cold

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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Willton, 30 Apr 2008 @ 7:18pm

Backlash?
Why would patenting this type of technology infuriate television viewers? I would think that using this technology would be what pisses people off, and any effort to exclude companies from using this technology would probably be cheered.
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ScaredOfTheMan, 30 Apr 2008 @ 9:18pm

I think this one is to battle MS (who have one the same)
I remember seeing an MS patent on this subject about a year ago, I hope googles is just defense for the coming patent apocalypse
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Anonymous Coward, 1 May 2008 @ 6:24am

Newsfomercial
as everyone knows - not watching ads is stealing tv.
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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Anonymous Coward, 2 May 2008 @ 5:54am

Unbelieveable!
i just shake my head in disgust
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snowburn14, 2 May 2008 @ 11:02am

Re: Unbelieveable!
I don't understand what's so onerous about this, especially since it's still just a patent application and not something they're actually doing yet. Not that I have any doubts they'll at least attempt it, but still.
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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A N Other, 6 May 2008 @ 2:09am

Oh well
Bit torrent anyone ?
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