Are you saying FB is trying to target ads based on 3D mapping of homes/bodies while the headset is lying around unused? Or what exactly is the theory here?
Same goes for fitness tracking. Inside actual fitness games but in other VR titles as well. Again, this generates a ton of very personal data that, combined with other databases, unlocks a ton of value for advertisers.
This is why FB is so adamant about using FB profiles, even banning users if they make a guest account: For all this data to be really valuable, you need to be able to have it down to an individual resolution (that is: You know all the data is generated by a single individual, so you can combine it).
All of this, combined with existing data-generation, is a whole new level of invasion of privacy.
I don't think making better targeted ads is the play here. I think they want to dominate social networking, and they think a lot of social networking will take place in VR in the future.
The content inside a room would be. But it would costa shittonne in GPU time to do that reliably, so it would cost a boatload.
Their information collection is a legitimate concern precisely because they have both the incentives (profiling and advertisement) and legal basis to collect it.
It's "easy" for a competent software engineer, yes, not a random person. But I assume that's most of the people on HN.
> Environmental, Dimensions and Movement Data: We collect information about your environment, physical movements and dimensions when you use an XR device.
> We use information we collect when you use Oculus Products for the purposes described in the Facebook Data Policy under "How do we use this information?", including to provide, personalise and improve the Facebook Products (including seamless integration between the Facebook Products); to provide measurement, analytics and other business services (including ads)
https://www.oculus.com/legal/privacy-policy/
It's right there in black and white, they measure the dimensions of the participant and the environment, link it to a Facebook account, and use it to target ads.
Do you know why those clauses are in the legal agreement? its because otherwise they can't make the slam cameras work. Which means you need light houses.
Also when you submit a bug, I'm pretty sure it uploads the state of the SLAM map, which would be impossible if they didn't have the legal cover.
Now thats not to say that if they had the tech they _would_ use those bits of information. However they don't because they really don't have the tech yet.
Firstly the features that the oculus extracts from the SLAM cameras really arn't great for room mapping. Well, the cameras are fine, the feature extractor isn't. it works short term, but not for long term, or dense reconstruction.
Secondly, streaming 4x slam cameras at 60hz isn't trivial in a lab, let alone on with a battery on wifi on a generic internet connection.
Thirdly, facebook dont have anywhere near enough GPUs do the required classification/mesh generation/segmentation etc.
Finally there isn't a RGB camera.
This is relocalisation. Two things to note here
1) Facebook don't have enough GPUs to do this properly at scale.
2) For that kind of thing to work it needs either a GPS prior, or much more robust SLAM. the oculus isft doesn't have enough CPU/GPU to make robust multi-room maps (with big occlusions that is)
> This is why FB is so adamant about using FB profiles, even banning users if they make a guest account:
Its far more mundane than that. Its all about branding. The "brand" is all about "One facebook" or someshit so they want everyone to be interoperable. Thats why messenger and instgram are now able to communicate. I assume whatsapp will be added to that as well.
You're assumption is that facebook are a coherent force for evil. They really aren't that well organised. They are a collection of highly paid, naive tech people. Surrounded by some people with experience.