This month, Meta recently unveiled the Meta Quest Pro, the company’s top-quality virtual reality headset featuring a brand new processing unit and screen, a completely redesigned design of the body and controls, and an inward camera lens facing for eyes and facial tracking.
“To mark the launch of the $1,500 headset, Meta made some fun changes to their privacy policies which includes one that reads Eye Tracking Privacy Notice'” reports Gizmodo. “The company claims that it uses eye-tracking information to assist Meta in improving your experience and Meta Quest.’ The policy doesn’t specify that the company will use eye-tracking data. We will use the data for marketing purposes but only “personalizing the experience you experience by using our standard privacy-related terms for targeted advertising.”
“We are aware that this type of data could be used to identify the emotions people feel particularly emotions such as anxiety or joy,” said Ray Walsh, an expert in privacy research at ProPrivacy. “When you are able to actually observe someone look at an advertisement on a wristwatch, look for about 10 seconds, smile and think about whether they could afford it, it’s giving more data than before.”
Meta has already created an array of technologies to serve these needs. Meta submitted a patent for a device that “adapts multimedia content” by analyzing facial expressions in January. It has been experimenting with harnessing and manipulating people’s emotions for over ten years. In January, the company patented an electronic eyeball.
Despite the concerns of privacy advocates regarding Meta, however, it might be difficult for those who utilize the company’s products to avoid using the eye-tracking feature due to the things they allow your avatar to perform.
Digital marketing is about showing you the best advertisment at the right time. So technology that measures your moods will open an entirely new avenue for targeted ads. Walsh even said that companies could create campaigns specifically tailored for unhappy people or more positive ads that appeal to happy people.
Although it removed its facial recognition capabilities on Facebook and erased about a billion prints of faces at the end of 2021, Meta did not promise to end the use of facial recognition data completely. We are now presented with a brand-new product that can peek into your heart.
What do you believe Meta can do with this information?
Meta’s Newely Released Will Track Your Eyes for Targeted Ads.
