Firewall-Based Data Segmentation for TV Viewer Privacy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for protecting viewer privacy in commercial television and internet services often reveal more personal data than necessary, leading to potential misuse and inefficiencies in targeted advertising, as they lack mechanisms to control the disclosure of relevant information.
Innovation Solution
A digital device with a firewall-based storage system that separates data into sealed and unsealed sections, allowing only relevant attributes to be used for targeted advertising, with an option for viewers to modify their profiles while maintaining privacy, using a trusted authority's encrypted token and a flag to indicate data alterations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If viewer personal details are made available for targeted advertising, then advertising accuracy is improved, but viewer privacy is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments personal data into two distinct storage sections: a sealed section that cannot be accessed or modified by the viewer (maintaining authenticity for advertising matching), and an unsealed section that the viewer can access and modify (protecting privacy by allowing false information). This segmentation allows the system to simultaneously achieve accurate advertising targeting while preserving viewer anonymity.
2Loss of information
If a sealed data storage section is used to protect viewer identity, then privacy is improved, but the ability to allow viewer control over their profile is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The data storage is divided into sealed and unsealed sections, where the sealed section preserves authentic personal details for accurate advertising targeting while the unsealed section allows viewers to modify their profile information. This segmentation simultaneously achieves privacy protection and viewer control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces a mediator mechanism (the dual-section storage system with flag indicators) that allows viewers to control what information is revealed to advertisers. The flag system acts as an intermediary that signals to advertisers whether the unsealed data has been modified, enabling informed advertising decisions while preserving viewer autonomy.
3Productivity
If advertisers use 100% accurate viewer profiles for targeting, then advertising effectiveness is improved, but viewer anonymity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments profile data into authentic sealed information and modifiable unsealed information, allowing advertisers to achieve effective targeting using the sealed data while the unsealed section maintains viewer anonymity by permitting false or modified information.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies partial action by revealing only the sealed authentic data to advertisers for targeting purposes, while keeping the unsealed modifiable data hidden or flagged. This partial disclosure achieves sufficient advertising effectiveness without fully exposing viewer identity.
4Loss of information
If viewers can modify their profile data, then privacy control is improved, but data accuracy for advertising targeting deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments profile data into sealed authentic information (maintaining accuracy for advertising) and unsealed modifiable information (enabling privacy control). Advertisers access the sealed section for accurate targeting while the unsealed section allows viewers to exercise privacy control through modification.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback through flag indicators that signal to advertisers when unsealed data has been modified. This feedback mechanism allows advertisers to adjust their targeting strategy based on the likelihood of data accuracy, balancing privacy control with advertising effectiveness.
Data Source
AI summary
A mobile telephone or tablet or the like (40) for viewing commercial television programmes has a display screen (41), a firewall (70), and behind the firewall a first, sealed data storage section (42) which stores personal attributes of a viewer, such as a child, supplied on a token (32) from a trusted third party (10), a second, unsealed data storage section (44) to which the personal attributes are copied, the second section having a flag (48) which is set when the data in the second section has been modified by the viewer, and a third data storage section (46) in which personal preferences can be stored by the viewer. Adverts from advertisers (50) targeted on the data in the second and third sections are sent to the device (40), headers in the adverts are checked against the data in the first section, and adverts are rejected if they are unsuitable for the viewer. Unrejected adverts are shown on the display screen, and the advertiser is informed of their showing, but the identity of the viewer is not disclosed.