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How fateful?

chan.co.za

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Re: How fateful?

#211
post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think I have ever in my life thought "I wish I had location history turned on so I could check where I was at that date". Could you share some examples of how can it be useful? I do find it cool to have such data to do the kind of analysis as presented in this post, but not cool enough to let others (especially Google) possess this data as well.

The data is being tracked either way. You can only choose if you want to see it or not.

not true

Re: How fateful?

#212

Many years ago, when everybody had Nokias with the Bluetooth on, I used to do a similar thing. I created a S60 python script that kept scanning Bluetooth mac addresses and link them with the cell tower I was connected to (no GPS yet on mobiles).Then later processed the logs to see if I encountered the same people in different locations and times. And yes, I re-encountered a bunch of Bluetooth mac addresses in differe…

I believe the Nintendo (3)DS does something similar, but makes it into a gameplay mechanic in supported games, SpotPass and StreetPass: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpotPass_and_StreetPass

> Using the console's background connectivity, a Nintendo 3DS in Sleep Mode can automatically discover other Nintendo 3DS systems within range, establish a connection, and exchange content for mutually played games, all transparently and without requiring any user input.

> For example, in Rhythm Heaven Megamix, if the user passes by someone with the same software, they will take on a figure-fighting duel challenge.

Re: How fateful?

#213

When my wife and I combined our photo libraries later in life, we found a photo of the two of us, back-to-back at a ball a few years before we first met.

I went to school with the brother of my older brother's girlfriend; in an old picture of me on graduation day, she's in the background to attend her brother's graduation. This was 17 years ago, I believe they've been dating for about ten years now.

Re: How fateful?

#214

Plot Twist: When google's algorithms decided those two individuals should pair, it started showing them ads for the same events in order to increase the probability of them meeting. The goal was achieved by the system in 3 months, exactly as predicted with a 99% probability with a 95% CI. The system's next goal is to subtly nudge the couple to reproduce within the next year in order to help google meet their user acc…

That's some Black Mirror level dystopia there, and totally within the realm of possibility, if it isn't already happening. Sync that up with Apple Watch 8's ability to estimate ovulation, and poof, declining birth rate problem solved! I'm scared.

It gets worse; to keep people in the workforce they can do the opposite, steer compatible people away from each other during the optimal reproductive window.

Re: How fateful?

#215

Fun fact: whatever you can do with this data, Google can do as well!

They have the data, but they make sure to not show that they have the data, because they are very aware of how creepy it would be. They spent a lot of time on optics.

Do people who see ads get ads based on where they've been by the way?

Re: How fateful?

#216
this is fascinating. i'd be interested in an anonymous dating app where i feed in my location and it matches me up with others... highly likely that if we like the same places then we might like each other (or at least, dating might be a bit easier)

Re: How fateful?

#217

Plot Twist: When google's algorithms decided those two individuals should pair, it started showing them ads for the same events in order to increase the probability of them meeting. The goal was achieved by the system in 3 months, exactly as predicted with a 99% probability with a 95% CI. The system's next goal is to subtly nudge the couple to reproduce within the next year in order to help google meet their user acc…

Somewhat related, I had high hopes for Facebook Dating to be a great product and a dating site/app disruptor. FB has all that data, why not use it to play matchmaker? Unfortunately, like many other Facebook ventures, it's nothing as expected, and is just a "Here's people in your area. Kind of. Sometimes."

They probably aren't allowed to use that data. Something something privacy. And imagine the uproar from privacy fear mongerers if Facebook tried to make such a product.

That is why we can't explore things that we "might" consider nice. A product that might have been.

Re: How fateful?

#218
post #5

> It makes me feel very philosophical. Likely we had walked past each other every other week for three years with our heads down, or in the clouds, paying very little notice to the people around us. Past Channon had not the foggiest clue what impact an unnoticed stranger would come to have on her. Since learning this I can’t help but look at the passers-by in my day-to-day life in a different light. And no shame in g…

I don't really agree, if you sat down and talked with every single person you walked by throughout the day you would meet many people you clicked with, both on a friendship and romantic level. If the author was that outgoing they probably would have met their partner earlier, or she would have found someone she liked better. In other words I don't think who we end up with is some 1 in a million cosmic star aligning m…

The 1 in 100 is what keeps my wife busy with family law. The odds of ending up marrying someone vs having a healthy relationship are 2 very different things.

My wife and I dated through undergrad, broke up at "get married or break up." And ended coming back together as adults with more life and relationship experience. Based on plans, we never should have been back in the same city. And when we started hanging out again, neither expected a relationship, just a friendship still being sick of each others' sh. But we had both grown up. We're 24 years into our relationship now. I think it's going well.

That's all purely anecdotal, though.

I don't think real math could be done with this. Success isn't measurable. People often split due to $ or tragedy. People stick it out, miserable the entire time. It walks into Aristotle's eudaimonia. You can't know until it's over. Even then, quantifying quality is folly.

Re: How fateful?

#220
post #35

This is a great use of one's location data. I've personally found Google's location history to be a net positive for me. From places I've been whose precise addresses I can't remember (e.g. distant family events), to tracking hospital, doctor visits. I've even used it as a proxy for timesheets when I used to work from an office on weeks where I wouldn't have recorded my activities well (like which client I visited, h…

You just invented the next great dating app. Because I can “game” saying I like or do something, but having to both physically be there and review it is a cool angle. The catch (outside the crazy permissions) would be it would greatly hurt smaller cities: “oh you really like the only Starbucks in town? Me too!”

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