Facebook, just stop already.

After getting a patent hellbent on figuring out when its users are about to die, the social media giant has now patented a system that knows what you’re watching on TV.

Yup, you better proceed with caution, because Big Brother is watching.

The Guardian has reported that Facebook filed a patent application on this scary-sounding new system, with info on how it works:

Facebook has patented a system that can remotely activate the microphone on someone’s phone using inaudible signals broadcast via a television.

The patent application describes a system where an audio fingerprint embedded in TV shows or ads, inaudible to human ears, would trigger the phone, tablet or long-rumoured smart speaker to turn on the microphone and start recording “ambient audio of the content item”.

The recording could then be matched to a database of content to allow Facebook to identify what the individual was watching – like Shazam for TV, but without the individual choosing to activate the system.

Um, talk about intrusive much?

Here’s a diagram that has accompanied the application, which shows exactly how this system would work in practice:

Judging by this diagram, they seem to want to know what your child is checking out, too.

Why? For the purposes of advertising:

The patent, first spotted by the New York Times, positions the technology as a way for broadcasters to know exactly who is watching their TV shows or ads and for how long. The same system could then be used to build viewing profiles of individual members of a household for better content recommendation and more targeted advertising.

So now they want to control what we want to watch, too?

The head honchos – namely Allen Lo, Facebook’s head of intellectual property – are trying to play down the situation:

It is common practice to file patents to prevent aggression from other companies. Because of this, patents tend to focus on future-looking technology that is often speculative in nature and could be commercialised by other companies.

The technology in this patent has not been included in any of our products, and never will be.

Riiiiight …

But privacy experts are concerned about this type of intrusion into people’s homes. William Budington, a senior staff technologist at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, said:

It’s extremely disconcerting for privacy to have an inaudible beacon as it means they want to make it not obvious to the user that the device is listening.

Like the “life change prediction engine”, these patent application plans aren’t concrete plans for the future.

Still, it’s hard to accept promises from the same platform who has been so wanton with our information in the past.

[source:guardian]