Microsoft has denied that the Kinect 2 camera system, which will come bundled with all Xbox One consoles, will track users for the purposes of advertising.
Late last week, industry publication Advertising Age caused a furore when it wrote an article based on quotes from Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft corporate vice president of marketing, saying that the Kinect system would be used to gather data for targeted advertising. With the Kinect system defaulting to always listening, its microphones being able to distinguish the voice of up to six people simultaneously, and its cameras sensitive enough to monitor a user's heart-rate from across the room, that revelation had privacy activists concerned.
Now, Microsoft has said the report was based on a misunderstanding, telling AllThingsD that the Kinect system will not be used to gather data for marketing purposes. "We have a long-standing commitment to your privacy," a company spokesperson told the site, "and will not target ads to you based on any data Kinect collects unless you choose to allow us to do so. The quote from Yusuf in Ad Age is not in relation to Kinect".
Microsoft had previously planned to make the Kinect a mandatory experience for all Xbox One users, but reversed its decision in the face of consumer backlash. Buyers can't pick up an Xbox One console without a bundled Kinect sensor, they will now have the option to leave it disconnected from the console should they so choose.
Andoid Games
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