It is technologically possible for cable, satallite, Verizon, and alike to do data mining with their boxes. They can track channels you watch, duration, time of day, what you record, what you replay over and over, how long you keep a recording, what commercials you skip, your habits, patterns, and much more.

To marketing companies, this information can be very valuable. Look at Google, Yahoo, and more. The gathered data can be a significant revenue stream.

Is this actually done? If not, I would imagine it is a matter of time--unless there is some FCC law against it.

Just curious.

Cheers.

Read this. (http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/112946-Nielsen_Charter_Mining_Data.php)

Read this.

Thanks. I guess they do mine the data. There is so much more that they can track. Even though the result is reportedly anonymous, I can't help but consider the privacy impliciations in the future.