Microsoft Patent That Requires Paying Attention to Computer Ads

Microsoft Patent That Requires Paying Attention to Computer Ads-Truth!

Summary of the eRumor:
The eRumor says that Microsoft had applied for a patent that would force you to look at advertisements on your computer or the computer could be disabled.

The Truth:
The eRumor is based on an article published in the British online tech magazine The Inquirer. (www.theinquirer.net).

The patent application is real (#20070033102) and is assigned to Microsoft. The purpose is to come up with a way that ensures that web ads are really being read and would reward the computer user as a result. The patent application includes a list of potential ways of doing that such. For example, delivering paid ads to people who may be asked to answer a question about the ad or indicate in some other way that they really sat in front of their computers, saw the ads, and comprehended what they said. It mentions the possibility of using some device, perhaps a camera, to view and recognize the face of the person reading the ads.

The article leaves the impression that the average computer user would be penalized for not reading the ads and, perhaps, having your computer disabled but that is misleading. That would only happen if, for example, you had been given a computer for free in return for seeing the ads and the computer had a way of knowing whether you were really living up to your end of the bargain.

Updated 2-14-07

A real example of the eRumor as it has appeared on the Internet:

Microsoft forces people to look at adverts

Or it will disable your computer

Sunday 11 February 2007, 23:06

SOFTWARE BEHEMOTH Microsoft has applied for an odd patent which forces people to look at advertisements.

Patent number 20070033102 uses face-recognition webcams to tell if users are paying attention to the advertisement. If they don't, then the software will disable or repossess the computer.

The patent says that it can make sure that paid advertising is watched. It involves asking users a question about an advertisement or requiring data about the advertisement to be entered.

The idea is that when the advertisement is correctly answered then cash will be sent to a user account.

The big idea is that schools will make a bit of cash on the side by forcing kids to become marketing guinea pigs and the patented technology will make sure they obey.