"How do it know?" Topic

This has been freaking me out. Whenever I order something off eBay or Amazon it is tracked. Okay, that's fine. It's been that way for a while.
What is creepy is that whenever the postman delivers a package I get a notice on my phone that it was delivered.
How does it know that?
Does the mailman do something electronically that notifies the internet?

Pretty soon while charging our iPhones on our iToilets we'll get a notice to update iTunes AND that our late at BM just hit the processing plant. There'll even be an app that lets you watch the poop go from toilet to sea.

They scan their mail.

Dan
PS. And I think someone is already working on sending out ads like that for people who are irregular. :)

Yes, the postal carriers all have scanners and scan packages when they either go into your mailbox or are left at your doorstep. I suspect that the email update is actually coming from who ever you have ordered it from but I'm not sure about that part.

If you wanted privacy, you should have been born much earlier. If I go to Wal-mart (or Target) buy something new, drive home, put the purchases away and turn on the computer, there are ALREADY ads for whatever I just bought, and I live less than a mile from the store. An on-line search has the same effect.
At work, every keystroke was monitored, and the computer kept track of how many minutes passed between entering the facility and turning on my unit. If you got button-holed by your boss before you made it to your cubicle, your boss's boss's boss would get a notice that you had not gone to work promptly.
There appears to be no escape. I recommend assuming everything you do or say is public knowledge and just going ahead anyway.

Postal carrier scans barcode to show it was delivered.
The signal goes to Company and they take care of it from there.
That freaks you out?

Robert: "At work, every keystroke was monitored, and the computer kept track of how many minutes passed between entering the facility and turning on my unit. If you got button-holed by your boss before you made it to your cubicle, your boss's boss's boss would get a notice that you had not gone to work promptly."

In 2001 I left a company precisely for that reason. But I caught on to how they monitored us and, whenever I was cornered by my boss to chat on my way to my station, the moment I sat down to work I would email my boss asking for clarification or details on what we discussed a few minutes before. I made sure to save all of those emails and specially his replies. They were my proof that I was already working before I ever got to my desk.

Dan

The scarier thing is that when I get in the car my phone shows a message telling me it will take me so many minutes to my destination. How does it know where I am planning on going?

Should have worn your tin foil hat.

Someone sent me the following joke last week.

Dan
------------

Ordering A Pizza In Today's World:

Hello! Is this Gordon's Pizza?

No sir, it's Google's Pizza.

Did I dial the wrong number?

No sir, Google bought the pizza store.

Oh, alright – then I'd like to place an order please.

Okay sir, do you want the usual?

The usual? You know what my usual is?

According to the caller ID, the last 15 times you've ordered
a 12-slice with double-cheese, sausage, and thick crust.

Okay – that's what I want this time too.

May I suggest that this time you order an 8-slice
with ricotta, arugula, and tomato instead?

No, I hate vegetables.

But your cholesterol is not good.

How do you know?

Through the subscribers guide. We have the results
of your blood tests for the last 7 years.

Maybe so, but I don't want the pizza you suggest – I
already take medicine for high cholesterol.

But you haven't taken the medicine regularly.
4 months ago you purchased from Drugsale Network
a box of only 30 tablets.

I bought more from another drugstore.

It's not showing on your credit card sir.

I paid in cash.

But according to your bank statement you
did not withdraw that much cash.

I have another source of cash.

This is not showing on your last tax form,
unless you got it from an undeclared income source.

WHAT THE HELL? ENOUGH!
I'm sick of Google, Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp.

I'm going to an island without internet, where there's
no cellphone line, and no one to spy on me …

I understand sir, but you'll need to renew your
passport … it expired 5 weeks ago.

Dan, good idea--but better not to need proof of activity than to have it on hand. I found that if I showed up two hours ahead of the boss(es) no one stood between me and my work station--and those were the most productive two hours of the day.

My car doesn't actually know how many miles I want to travel,I just sit down and the car picks a number out of my ass.

Flooglestreet,

Dude! Is that what you use, in lieu of a wallet? :)

Dan

I don't find myself much troubled by websites "knowing" what adverts to target me with…i think my search history is so eclectic whatever systems are beavering away trying to work out what I'm interested in simply aren't up to the task.

Which is probably why Facebook actually popped a little message on to my screen telling me they didn't have a clue what sort of things to show me.

When I go to a store or restaurant a message will often pop up on my phone asking if I want to take a picture of where I am or to comment on the experience.

That is the reason I don't have or want a "smart" phone.