Mrs. Mecomber's Scrapbook Talking technology, computers, and the Internet… for the average computer user

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Nielsen Research. All opinions are 100% mine.

… and at least they TELL you they are monitoring your activity… unlike some OTHER gargauntuan googly companies who roam the streets harvesting your wireless data and storing it all in their databanks, who also *happen* to have close relationships with governmental and global “intelligence” agencies…

There’s a new app for Windows phones. It’s by the Nielsen Company. The Nielsen Company is, I think, the same company that monitors and provides viewer information for television, doesn’t it? You know– “7.2 million households watched this TV movie!!” Were you ever once of those people who asked, “How do they know that??”

Anyway, Nielsen is offering incentives to Windows phone users, so that Nielsen can monitor and measure your phone applications.

The measurement software allows us to measure the applications you use and websites you visit for the purpose of anonymous, aggregate measurement only. We will never report your individual usage and will never release your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes.

Persons who opt in are eligible to receive a Windows $50 gift certificate after a year. Hmmm. Would you do it?

Neilsen says that the data that is gathered includes:

• the type, name and use of apps on your phone
• the url and content of the sites you visit
• the date, time and duration of phone calls, texts, and calls and texts received (but no personal information about the calls)
• phone battery information
• Occasional detection of your location via GPS

Pretty remarkable, if you ask me. I wouldn’t do it. It’s *nice* that at LEAST you’re being ASKED if you want to be monitored, but it’s monitoring. How far will we go, selling our information? Check out the website, see what’s it’s all about. Would you do that? Do you think I’m making too big a deal from this?