Sony Patents DNA Tracking

[Clarky]

Many joked at the lengths Sony may go to secure it's data but back in May Sony filled in a patent to store biometric data online to keep an eye on customers in the future. The patent lists a problem of how the main problem is usually the main accounr holder rather than someone who has been given the device after it has been unlocked, this will be solved by use of DNA. "To overcome the above disadvantages, embodiments of the invention are directed to consumer devices and methods for operating consumer devices. According to embodiments of the invention a user of a consumer electronics device is uniquely identified using a metric that is contingent upon the user using the device normally. Content that depends on the user’s identity can be provided to or from the device. According to certain embodiments, a user may be uniquely identified using a biometric sensor to provide the metric. Examples of suitable biometric sensors include fingerprint sensors, hand sensors, face recognition systems, iris scanners retinal scanners, voice pattern analyzers, and DNA analyzers. The biometric sensor senses a user biometric during normal operation of the device by the user. In certain embodiments of the invention a user identification unit incorporated into a control module of the device." The patent also goes onto list how Sony could use the data to make a profile on you to suit your gaming preferences and how they could end piracy for good. The patent can be found here​

Source


There could be benefits that could come from this, but I don't think so

 

[notmeanymore]

Good use: Grab controller, instantly logged in.
Bad use: Grab controller, instantly banned.

 

[emigre]

Ignoring the potential problems of personal intrusion, that is sounds like some pretty nifty dna tracking.

 

[Shoat]

Good way to scare customers out of buying your shit.

Because, looking back at how companies have been treating their customers the past few years, this is most certainly going to have a purely disadvantageous effect on them.




.... not that it immediately affects me as long as only Sony does this. I can't afford to buy more than one console each generation anyway and it's usually the nintendo console for local multiplayer.

 

[KingVamp]

I'm scared by just thinking about it.

They can do some of those things with their hardware right now with just a software update.

 

[Devin]

If someone can find and link that photo of PS3 games being handcuffed to a Sony agent that makes sure you won't do anything bad I will give you a internet.

 

[Just Another Gamer]

I hope whatever tech this leads to isn't going to intrude on our privacy rights.

 

[Hyro-Sama]

Is Sony wanting to become Big Brother?

 

[KingVamp]

If someone can find and link that photo of PS3 games being handcuffed to a Sony agent that makes sure you won't do anything bad I will give you a internet.

Spoiler: err... Close enough.

 

[Devin]

If someone can find and link that photo of PS3 games being handcuffed to a Sony agent that makes sure you won't do anything bad I will give you a internet.

Spoiler: err... Close enough.

Going to buy all the PS3s.

 

[Foxi4]

People should start to realize that Sony isn't just in the video game industry - they're an electronics manufacturer first and foremost, and this technology can be applied to just about anything that requires security measures.

Nobody cried when fingerprint scanning became "a thing" on laptops and desktops, but since it's Sony who patented DNA tracking, it's somehow a bad thing.

 

[Hop2089]

People should start to realize that Sony isn't just in the video game industry - they're an electronics manufacturer first and foremost, and this technology can be applied to just about anything that requires security measures.

Nobody cried when fingerprint scanning became "a thing" on laptops and desktops, but since it's Sony who patented DNA tracking, it's somehow a bad thing.

Because Sony are snakes that want to watch every single action you do on their systems, this is no anti-theft device and I doubt it's for the government to track people, this patent will result in a product to be used only to make the consumers life miserable, so Sony can ban a system for example searching for some porn on your PS4 or an even worse case god forbid you import a game and you start playing on Japanese and US servers online with a US or European PS3.

 

[Rydian]

What about the bandwidth issues? I mean if this data is being logged and sent, wouldn't that make the process take a long time? Human DNA can hold a metric fuckton of data (gigs+). There's compression and hashing (hashing being more likely), but then the device doing this would need to be able to compress/hash that data in a reasonable timeframe.

Nobody cried when fingerprint scanning became "a thing" on laptops and desktops

Fingerprint scanning, facial recognition, etc... not required to use the device. A totally optional form of login.

but since it's Sony who patented DNA tracking, it's somehow a bad thing.

Sony, on the other hand, is known to be an anti-consumer company.

 

[Snailface]

People should start to realize that Sony isn't just in the video game industry - they're an electronics manufacturer first and foremost, and this technology can be applied to just about anything that requires security measures.

Nobody cried when fingerprint scanning became "a thing" on laptops and desktops, but since it's Sony who patented DNA tracking, it's somehow a bad thing.

Except a fingerprint is about 3KB of data about you and DNA, 3GB.

 

[Foxi4]

Because Sony are snakes that want to watch every single action you do on their systems, this is no anti-theft device and I doubt it's for the government to track people, this patent will result in a product to be used only to make the consumers life miserable, so Sony can ban a system for example searching for some porn on your PS4 or an even worse case god forbid you import a game and you start playing on Japanese and US servers online with a US or European PS3.

Yes, I'm sure that will happen. They're out to get you.

 

[p1ngpong]

I am glad this has been patented by one company. If it is ever introduced in the future I can avoid their products like the fucking plague and use the products of other companies that aren't able to use this technology.

 

[loco365]

If someone can find and link that photo of PS3 games being handcuffed to a Sony agent that makes sure you won't do anything bad I will give you a internet.

Does Photoshop count?

 

[ferofax]

So... now Sony wants to put DNA metrics to identify people?

I'm sorry, but even if this is a legit patent for something "gaming", the absurdity of it screams "defense-level security". Is Sony masquerading this tech in plain sight? Because this sounds to me like something you would use to protect nuclear launch codes. Or state secrets.

Now that that conspiracy theory is out of the way... fuck you, Sony. The day I want a fucking machine to identify me and single me out BY MY DNA is the day I cease to exist as human being. When I am but a drop of blood on a slide, sure, go ahead. Until then, you Sony geniuses can fuck off.

/endrant

 

[Hyro-Sama]

I am glad this has been patented by one company. If it is ever introduced in the future I can avoid their products like the fucking plague and use the products of other companies that aren't able to use this technology.

It doesn't always work out that way. Remember Samsung and Apple?

 

[Foxi4]

Now that that conspiracy theory is out of the way... fuck you, Sony. The day I want a fucking machine to identify me and single me out BY MY DNA is the day I cease to exist as human being. When I am but a drop of blood on a slide, sure, go ahead. Until then, you Sony geniuses can fuck off.

You're right - being identified by a set of characters, be it a nick or a password, or a set of digits, for example a PIN number is much, much better.