Microsoft's data mining idea
This is just the kind of thing I wrote about in my book: Microsoft ponders offline profiling of Web users By John Letzing, MarketWatch Last update: 7:02 p.m. EST Jan. 23, 2008 SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Microsoft Corp. is developing a method of using personal data such as credit-card information to target Internet users with advertising once they connect to the Web, according to a patent application filed by the company. In an application disclosed earlier this month, a Microsoft team including Chairman Bill Gates presents a method of collecting information about users' "cell phones, geolocation systems, credit-card information" and other data sources to select and display "targeted advertising." The technology described in the patent application touches on a delicate issue for Microsoft and other online companies such as Google Inc. Microsoft and its rivals have all sought to gather increasing amounts of personal information about Internet users to deliver