# TiVo to offer user demographics to advertisers



## morac (Mar 14, 2003)

Reuters is reporting that TiVo will soon offer a new service to advertisers where now, in addition to second by second ratings for commercials and programs, TiVo will provide user demographic data on it's users including "age, income, marital status and ethnicity."

Doesn't bother me in the least.

Edit: Per TiVoPony's post, this is an opt-in program. Press release here.


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## TriBruin (Dec 10, 2003)

morac said:


> Reuters is reporting that TiVo will soon offer a new service to advertisers where now, in addition to second by second ratings for commercials and programs, TiVo will provide user demographic data on it's users including "age, income, marital status and ethnicity."
> 
> Doesn't bother me in the least.


I am sure some will be upset, but as long as it is agregate data, I don't have a problem with it.


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## janry (Jan 2, 2003)

Reuters said:


> The information includes age, income, marital status and ethnicity, the newspaper reported


When did I give TiVo that information? I've been a subscriber for about 6 years so maybe I did at sometime but I don't remember.


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## drjlb (Feb 2, 2004)

janry said:


> When did I give TiVo that information? I've been a subscriber for about 6 years so maybe I did at sometime but I don't remember.


I don't remember ever giving out that information either, but it's been several years for me as well.


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## wmcbrine (Aug 2, 2003)

I know I never did.


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## morac (Mar 14, 2003)

drjlb said:


> I don't remember ever giving out that information either, but it's been several years for me as well.


Now that you mention it, I don't remember that being something they ask for when you create a TiVo account.

There are ways for TiVo to get this info though if you sign up for other things like TiVo Rewards, beta applications, Nielson's TiVo program, etc.


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## TiVoPony (May 12, 2002)

No worries guys.

This is an opt-in panel of 20,000 homes. Participants have intentionally and knowingly chosen to join this study. They clicked on a TiVo Showcase to get more information, then responded to a private email, went thru two different sign-in processes (one via MMA to confirm they were who they said they were, the other to confirm that they really wanted to be part of this panel). It would be nearly impossible for someone to 'accidentally' participate. If you haven't done that, you aren't in it. 

And all the results are aggregate, even within that study.

Here's a link to the press release.

Cheers,
Pony


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## toten (Oct 1, 2003)

11/8/07 Page B5

"How hard did TiVo have to work to get those 20,000 people to give out their personal details? Not very. Giving them the chance to win a new TiVo in a raffle generated more than enough interest, the Alviso, Calif., company says."

Says it all..you had to specifically opt in.


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## CharlesH (Aug 29, 2002)

Of course, many of the stories in the press such as the Reuters article don't bother to mention that people had to go through an lengthy signup process, not just some Web page with the opt-in conveniently already selected. So one can expect the usual hysteria about TiVo selling out its customers.


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## Revolutionary (Dec 1, 2004)

The blogosphere dolts have been whining about this all day, even though it's very clear from the article that this is an opt-in-only program. Morons.


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## old64mb (Apr 11, 2005)

If Tivo could get a significant new revenue stream from making my viewing habits available to both advertisers and programmers in aggregate numbers, I'd be all for it. Might even save a couple of shows I like, and if it turns Tivo into the new Nielsen...there would be worse things.


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## stevel (Aug 23, 2000)

Yeah - when I read about this in the newspaper, it said that users could opt-out and did not at all imply that it was an opt-in process.


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## fred2 (Jan 20, 2006)

Somewhat on this topic (maybe covered elsewhere)...

What does Tivo know about our viewing habits. Do they know each and every time I rewind as when I want to hear missed dialog or re-watch an odd seen or actually watch each and every commercial or.... whatever quirky viewing habit I exhibit. In other words, how much detail about viewing, re-viewing, ff, etc???


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## acvthree (Jan 17, 2004)

janry said:


> When did I give TiVo that information? I've been a subscriber for about 6 years so maybe I did at sometime but I don't remember.


Once you have an address that information is available to just about anyone. It is easily purchase in a data format for cross referencing.

Al


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## drosoph (Mar 21, 2000)

Hello all ... I'm an OPT-IN member, we did it a long time ago ... you used to be able to call in and do it or use a website to opt-in for their old aggregate data system. You can check your status for Opt-In,Out, etc on your tivo.com/manage page I believe.

So, just go and check ... and if you dont want to be in the Opt-In group, call and Opt-Out ... it's not a hassle. Personally, I've done the Nielson ratings book too, so, people knowing what I watch isnt that scary to me.


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## stevel (Aug 23, 2000)

fred2 said:


> Somewhat on this topic (maybe covered elsewhere)...
> 
> What does Tivo know about our viewing habits. Do they know each and every time I rewind as when I want to hear missed dialog or re-watch an odd seen or actually watch each and every commercial or.... whatever quirky viewing habit I exhibit. In other words, how much detail about viewing, re-viewing, ff, etc???


What TiVo knows is what buttons you press when, and what shows you have recorded. This data is combined and randomized. For an interesting whitepaper on this, see http://www.tivo.com/assets/pdfs/policies/ftc_letter.pdf


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