RE: A big brother moment? email reminders of what you haven't done

["Downing, David" <david -dot- downing -at- fiserv -dot- com>]

From: "Connie Giordano" <connie -at- therightwordz -dot- com>
Subject: A big brother moment? email reminders of what you haven't
	done

Does anyone else find this disturbing?  I just received an email  that read
in part: 

 

"Our records show that although you have requested to receive the "Digital
Version" of Website Magazine, you did not yet view your latest quarterly
issue (Feb '09 - Psychology of Design)."  

 

I'm  a big believer in making sure content is relevant to my audience, and I
know tracking web-surfing habits is one way to do that. However, I am deeply
disturbed by a magazine that would openly admit that they're tracking me to
the extent of pointing out that I haven't opened the current issue. Sort of
like having a PHB looking over your shoulder to make sure you're keeping up
with the required number of keystrokes per hour.

 

It totally creeped me out, and I'm wondering if I'm over-reacting. As
creators of content/purveyors of information and recipients of the same,
what constitutes customizing content and when does it cross the line into
invasion of privacy?  Just curious as to others' thoughts on this.

------------------------------------------

This sort of thing bothers me as well. I specially am not always happy with the way Amazon.com keeps track of what you've bought, and even what you've looked at, to make recommendations for you. I don't like the idea that someone is looking over my shoulder, keeping track of my habits, and reminding me of them. It especially bothers me when I'm just looking at something in passing that maybe I don't want to be reminded of later, and definitely don't want to be reminded of over and over again.

David Downing
Senior Technical Writer
Credit Union Solutions
Fiserv
 
 

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