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After fast-forwarding through some commercials and cueing up a favorite show from our Wish List, we turned on the computer and zipped over to the company web site to review TiVo's privacy policy. The TiVo box records the shows you want, and it also collects information about your TiVo use. Some of this data is sent back to the company during the daily phone calls the machine makes to get new programming schedules. Most of the information TiVo gathers is anonymous viewing data that describes your TV watching habits, but isn't linked to your personal identification. So TiVo knows what you watch, but not your name. The company compiles the viewing statistics from subscribers and uses this
information to recommend programs. TiVo may also sell this aggregated data to broadcasters and advertisers. TiVo may also collect diagnostic information from your box to help resolve technical issues. And if you buy something from a third party through TiVo, some of your personal data will be given to that company to finish the transaction. TiVo states that its system is designed to keep your personally identifiable information private unless you give consent. You can opt out of having even your anonymous viewing data collected, so your Season Passes can remain your secret.
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