TruMedia Refutes Billboard Privacy Concerns

Responding to an article in the New York Times which has raised fears about billboards with facial recognition tracking systems, manufacturer TruMedia has sent a letter to the paper confirming that all data collected is anonymous and is only reported in aggregate.

TruMedia's camera-equipped billboards track viewers' faces to gather data for digital displays and screens. Images from the system's sensors are processed and converted in real-time into counts and durations. These counts are further assigned to specific demographic categories such as gender and age group.

Currently, the firm is testing the cameras in about 30 locations throughout the US, but says that it never records or stores any video collected in this way. In addition, the company states that it will never share any video or images with any private or governmental body.

TruMedia's CEO George Murphy said in the letter that his firm has a 'standing commitment' to the protection of privacy.

To demonstrate this principle, the company is working alongside the Out-of-home Video Advertising Bureau (OVAB) to help develop a set of standards that address both methodology and metrics for the out-of-home measurement industry. Once agreed, these will include a quality control element that every vendor and ad agency must agree to in order to use the firm's products and services.

Murphy challenged the industry to adopt a standard akin to his firm's that prohibits the storing of images or any other personally identifying information without prior consumer consent. 'This will allow our industry to grow and provide responsible currency measurement of out-of-home media without compromising the important principles of privacy in our society,' he concluded.

Web site: www.tru-media.com .

In March, TruMedia launched the iCapture Mini, a video-based solution to analyze the faces of consumers watching small digital screens in out-of-the-home venues.