Anonymity of Netflix Prize Dataset Broken

KentuckyFC writes "The anonymity of the Netflix Prize dataset has been broken by a pair of computer scientists from the University of Texas, according to a report from the physics arXivblog. It turns out that an individual's set of ratings and the dates on which they were made are pretty unique, particularly if the ratings involve films outside the most popular 100 movies. So it's straightforward to find a match by comparing the anonymized data against publicly available ratings on the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) (abstract on the physics arxiv). The researchers used this method to find how individuals on the IMDb privately rated films on Netflix, in the process possibly working out their political affiliation, sexual preferences and a number of other personal details"

Sexual preferences?

[tygerstripes]

Who goes out of their way to rate "Anal Whores 3" online?

Re:Sexual preferences?

[morgan_greywolf]

Bill Clinton?

Re:Sexual preferences?

[mh1997]

Who goes out of their way to rate "Anal Whores 3" online?

The good thing about porn flicks, as a general rule, is that they're too bland to have really bad plots. The search for good dialogue strays too far off the beaten path established by the social mores of the target market, be that old men, college students, or perverts out on dates. There are pornos with solid plots, just rarely pornos with complicated plots.

What they generally aren't is full of capers designed by crackheads in search of sexual relief, or a dominatrix dying to destroy the gold market with a Da Vinci alchemy machine only a cat burglar from Hoboken could steal.

Yes, the plot of Anal Whores 3 is as convoluted as it is kitschy. Mercedes and Veronica Diamond forcibly enlist the help of happy-go-lucky and half-a-second-out-of-prison pizza delivery man Hawk (Peter North) to steal the pieces to a machine that turns lead vibrators into gold. Hawk isn't halfway to a cup of coffee with his wise cracking cohort, Tommy (Johnny Cockring) when he finds himself back in the burglary game. Casing out a heist he meets nun/professional patron of the arts/double agent/love interest Jessie Jane (vows of bestiality can put the kibosh on even the best of cinematic love interests). When you throw in a CIA agent (Dick Coburn) and a couple of double dildos, you've managed to make the world's most convoluted porno....

Easy solution

[Thanshin]

Every time you feel the need to vote 10 in Glitter, also vote 10 to The Godfather.
Every time you cheer for Brokeback Mountain, also put a 10 in Huge Knockers MXII.
Every time you want to express your love for Dersu Uzala, vote a 10 in Spice World, with added commentaries.

That way, everybody will know you're a security conscious computer scientist. Or a squizophrenic moron.

Re:Sexual preferences?

[Minwee]

Yes, they would have to have watched Hudson Hawk to do that. That narrows the field considerably.

Re:Sexual preferences?

[Jtheletter]

The search for good dialogue strays too far off the beaten path established by the social mores of the target market

I see what you've done there..... ;)

IMDB Goofs

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm sorry but the continuity mistakes where Peter North's socks are on before the money shot then clearly off afterwards and when Mercedes says "Fuck me deeper!" before she is fucked ruined the film for me.