Microsoft filed for, and was approved, Patent #20120278904.

What is this patent? It's titled "Content Distribution Regulation By Viewing User", and it wants to turn you Kinect against you.

Short form is this. Your Kinect is a camera. Microsoft wants to be able to use that camera to be able to analyze how many people are present in your room, how old they are, and possibly other info to be able to take "remedial action" for whatever reason.

I imagine this may be with the intention of good things, like say recognizing a 7 year old boy and not allowing them to watch the unrated version of Hot Tub Time Machine on Netflix, but the scope of description within the patent seems to allow to sweeping abuse.

What if Netflix asked how many people were in your household when you signed up? During a survery? Who knows. Now they have that info. You answered 3. You're having a party and have friends over, boot up Netflix to watch a movie, and suddenly are greeted with a denial message. Your use of Netflix extends license to your 3 family members and "remedial action" (i.e. not letting you watch the movie) has been taken because your other 5 friends don't have license to use the service.

It says it plain and simple in the abstract of the application.

"The users consuming the content on a display device are monitored so that if the number of user-views licensed is exceeded, remedial action may be taken."

I don't like it. It is waaaay too big brothery. Sure, I can unplug Kinect, but there has to be some sort of violation of rights. Look at wiretap laws and consent to monitor legislation, not to mention how it widely varies by state.

What are your thoughts on this?

lol... rediculous.... I had put the kinect on hold till it was worth it a bit more but now...... lol hell no.

No cameras around my TV.

_{Thats not right. If they do that the kinect will be turned around or unplugged.}

I thought about it a little, and I bet they probably could get away with it because they'll bury all the legal jargon and consent within the TOS. No one reads the TOS in depth. Just like all the companies are sneaking in the whole "you can't sue us for whatever reason" clauses, except this one will be about watching you 24/7 to make sure you OBEY!

This is crazy. I'll never buy a device that monitors what I do physically in my house. For that matter if this passes you should be able to return your kinect.

Digital world + Privacy laws = what privacy?

That is all I have to say about it.