Subliminal Images and the Cookie Monster A 3

Subliminal Images and the Cookie Monster A 3: Conflicts, Ethics and Web Sites: Part 3

Subliminal Images: Definition A subliminal image is a fleetingly shown image that registers with the subconscious but not the conscious.

Subliminal Images and TV Advertising - e. g. “Gore a rat? ” • 2000 Presidential campaign the Republicans ran a TV advert. • These words flash on the screen: “The Gore prescription plan: Bureaucrats decide. ” • As the voice-over says: “bureaucrats decide” the word “RATS” in large, white capital letters, fills the black screen. Description taken from: http: //www. usatoday. com/news/

The “Rat Ad” - non-subliminal http: //www. usatoday. com/news/ http: //i. cnn. net/cnn/2000/ALLPOLITICS/stories/09/12/bush. ad/rnc. rats. ad. 30. 4. 4. mov

Jiscmail discussion: Subliminal Images #1 • web-support@jiscmail. ac. uk discussion • hottest topic in January 2001(27 messages) • initial request from dept psychology asking “How do I include a subliminal image in a web page? ” as part of a psychological experiment.

Jiscmail messages 2 to 13 • Java too slow, what about flash? • Caching may spoil it; • Can’t control times of less than a second; • Try flash; • Flash isn’t that difficult; • Agreed it ain’t too difficult; • Use Director; • Use an animated gif; • Try flash; • Try javascript and Flash with Animation Shop; • Remember to have animated gif on viewable screen; • Use Lingo (Director’s scripting language); • Use Flash.

Jiscmail messages 14 to 22 • “Am I the only one who’s hoping that there is no reliable method of generating subliminal pages from a web page? ” • Try this one for size • Agreed, there shouldn’t be an easy way of including subliminal images in a web page; • Thank you; • Use SMIL, but think about the ethics • Thank you, it was raised in our ethics committee; • If you don’t care about ethics - checkout porn sites and see how its done! • Here’s a javascript. • There’s a problem with Netscape and the javascript

Jiscmail messages 23 to 32 • Don’t worry, no-one reads web screens anyway, even subliminally. ; -) • I’d be concerned about the escape of this technology is there an equivalent Ad. Buster? • Here’s another demo; • I like your demo. : -) • Don’t view porn sites remember the JANET AUP • Is the AUP effective? • Ask for permission first before visiting porn sites. • A warning about combining pornography and subliminal images.

What the ITC states ITC Code of Advertising. Standards & Practice: `Subliminal’ Advertising 7. No advertisement may include any technical device which, by using images of very brief duration or by any means, exploits, the possibility of conveying a message to, or otherwise influencing the minds of, members of an audience without their being aware, or fully aware, of what has been done. http: //www. itc. org. uk/divisions/ad_spons/ad_standards_code/

So. . . • Would you: – Encourage/discourage the use of Subliminal Images on our site(s)? – How would you deal with it if discovered? – Can we detect/stop its use? – Most of us have disclaimers: • Would you favour ethical statements? • What we we call them? • What would they cover?

The Cookie Monster Conflicts, Ethics and Web Sites

Cookies are: • Information for future use stored by the server on the client; • Typically a cookie records your preferences when using a particular site; • Location of cookie is dependent on the browser • Commonly used to rotate the banner ads so that you don’t see the same ads • Used to “remember” place in a CBL course http: //whatis. com

More about cookies • Users can: – Disable cookies in their browser – Delete cookies from their disk • Cookies expire after a preset time • Not reliable – Don’t make your site rely on them

The Double. Click cookie • Double. Click Inc is a leading internet advertising company • DC operates banner ad servers • DC wants to target its ads by profiling users • DC has accumulated more than 100 million files • Double. Click purchased Abacus Direct Corp - a direct marketing services company that maintains a database of purchasing habits of 90% of US households. (http: //www. usatoday. com/)

The Double. Click cookie: It works like this (I think): • The first time you use a Double. Click’s adserving computer, it sends a cookie to your PC with a unique ID number when you click on a banner-ad; • Every time you clickthru a Double. Click ad, the URL is matched up with your previous visits; • When you e-shop at a Double. Click partner site, then the unique ID is matched to personal details.

So how should we deal with cookies? • How should we deal with cookies? • Does your web sites use them? – How do you use them? • Is it OK to use cookies providing: – it’s used as a placemarker from previous visits – information is collected and collated. • Be upfront. . .

An Ethical Statement “This site utilises cookie technology. Small amounts of information will be held on your machine to enable the site to recognise you throughout the purchasing and shopping basket process. This information will NOT be available to other web sites on the internet and no credit card or address details are held this way. ” http: //www. magsuk. com/uk/

And there’s more Conflicts, Ethics and Web Sites

Advertising on your web site • • Should we host? Do we need to - are there financial imperatives? Does it pay? Where is the content delivered from? (JANET AUP)? • Where does sponsorship stop and advertizing begin? • What’s the model? (“Free service” or “payment”? )

Advertising - We do it already! • We use the web to promote our institution • We have: – mouse mats – screen savers – propriety hardware and software – links to external sites with advertizing

Advertizing Content • • What does it “say” about the site? Do we have content control? Do we want content control? How do we exert control? Censorship vs Freedom of speech Who/What determines what we see? Do we need, yet another, policy for our web sites?

More food for thought • • Use of metatags to entice surfers Logs - how should we use them Browser View Source facilities Exclusion of users: – those with low spec browsers/PCs – through (poor) design. • University freedom of speech policies • Student Union web sites

And so. . . • Do you have content guidelines? • How do you enforce content guidelines? • Is there a procedure at your site for the (rapid) removal of content?

And Finally • Ethical Statements, their value: – They remind us what we’re about. – Once set, we know where we stand. – Our surfers (can) know where we stand. • They emphasise that we’re honest, legal and decent.