Ad-supported Pudding raises privacy concerns

A Silicon Valley start-up is proposing to do to VoIP what Google has done to email--monitor users to target ads. Pudding Media of San Jose, Calif., said it has developed technology that will drop ads into a VoIP call based on key words in a conversation.

"Pudding Media is building a platform that opens new advertising real estate, allowing consumers to immediately receive and respond to offers related to topics they are discussing," Pudding puts it. Fixed line and mobile devices are in Pudding's bull's eye as well.

Free VoIP is the point, but is it worth the price, Terrence Russell of Wired wonders. "… Running the risk of being singled out as the VoIP provider with the most Big Brother tendencies hardly seems like an advantage." You also have to wonder how many ads match, "no, thank you." 

For more:
- The official Puddingry is here
- Russell's Wired post is here