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<!doctype html><html data-theme=light lang=en xmlns=http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml><head><meta charset=UTF-8><meta name=description><meta content="width=device-width,initial-scale=1" name=viewport><meta content=#FF7E3C name=theme-color><meta content=#CC5A26 media=(prefers-color-scheme:dark) name=theme-color><title>Ruminations - Aron Petau</title><link href=https://aron.petau.net/project/ruminations/ rel=canonical><link href=https://mastodon.online/@reprintedAron rel=me><meta content=@reprintedAron@mastodon.online name=fediverse:creator><link href=/favicon/favicon-96x96.png rel=icon sizes=96x96 type=image/png><link href=/favicon/favicon.svg rel=icon type=image/svg+xml><link rel="shortcut icon" href=/favicon/favicon.ico><link href=/favicon/apple-touch-icon.png rel=apple-touch-icon sizes=180x180><meta content="Aron Petau" name=apple-mobile-web-app-title><link href=/favicon/site.webmanifest rel=manifest><link crossorigin href=https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/font-awesome/6.7.2/css/all.min.css integrity=sha512-... referrerpolicy=no-referrer rel=stylesheet><link title="Aron Petau - RSS Feed" href=https://aron.petau.net/rss.xml rel=alternate type=application/rss+xml><link title="Aron Petau - Atom Feed" href=https://aron.petau.net/atom.xml rel=alternate type=application/atom+xml><style>:root{--accent-color:#ff7e3c}[data-theme=dark]{--accent-color:#cc5a26}@media (prefers-color-scheme:dark){:root:not([data-theme=light]){--accent-color:#cc5a26}}</style><link href=https://aron.petau.net/style.css rel=stylesheet><link href=https://aron.petau.net/css/timeline.css rel=stylesheet><link href=https://aron.petau.net/css/mermaid.css rel=stylesheet><link href=https://aron.petau.net/css/skills.css rel=stylesheet><link href=https://aron.petau.net/css/gallery.css rel=stylesheet><script defer src=https://aron.petau.net/closable.js></script><script defer src=https://aron.petau.net/copy-button.js></script><script data-goatcounter=https://awebsite.goatcounter.com/count defer src=https://aron.petau.net/count.js></script><script defer src=https://aron.petau.net/fuse.js></script><script defer src=https://aron.petau.net/search-fuse.js></script><script defer src=https://aron.petau.net/theme-switcher.js></script><script type=module>import mermaid from 'https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/mermaid@11/dist/mermaid.esm.min.mjs';
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mermaid.initialize({ startOnLoad: true });</script><meta content="Aron Petau" property=og:site_name><meta content="Ruminations - Aron Petau" property=og:title><meta content=https://aron.petau.net/project/ruminations/ property=og:url><meta content="Perspectives on Engineering" property=og:description><meta content=https://aron.petau.net/card.png property=og:image><meta content=en_US property=og:locale><body><header id=site-nav><nav><a href=#main-content tabindex=0> Skip to Main Content </a><ul><li id=home><a href=https://aron.petau.net> <i class=icon></i>Aron Petau</a><li class=divider><li><a href=https://aron.petau.net/project/>Projects</a><li><a href=https://aron.petau.net/pages/contact/>Contact</a><li><a href=https://aron.petau.net/pages/cv/>CV</a><li><a href=https://aron.petau.net/pages/about/>About</a><li id=search><button class=circle id=search-toggle title=Search><i class=icon></i></button><li id=language-switcher><details class=closable><summary class=circle title=Language><i class=icon></i></summary> <ul><li><a href=https://aron.petau.net//de/project/ruminations/ lang=de>Deutsch</a></ul></details><li id=theme-switcher><details class=closable><summary class=circle title=Theme><i class=icon></i></summary> <ul><li><button title="Switch to Light Theme" class=circle id=theme-light><i class=icon></i></button><li><button title="Switch to Dark Theme" class=circle id=theme-dark><i class=icon></i></button><li><button title="Use System Theme" class=circle id=theme-system><i class=icon></i></button></ul></details><li id=feed><details class=closable><summary class=circle title=Feed><i class=icon></i></summary> <ul><li><a href=https://aron.petau.net/rss.xml>RSS</a><li><a href=https://aron.petau.net/atom.xml>Atom</a></ul></details><li id=repo><a class=circle href=https://forgejo.petau.net/aron/awebsite title=Repository> <i class=icon></i> </a></ul></nav><div id=search-container><label class=visually-hidden for=search-bar>Search</label><input placeholder="Search for…" autocomplete=off disabled id=search-bar type=search><div id=search-results-container><div id=search-results></div></div></div></header><main id=main-content><article><div id=heading><p><small> <time datetime=" 2023-03-01T00:00:00+00:00">Published on March 01, 2023</time></small><h1>Ruminations</h1><p><small><span>By Aron Petau and Niels Gercama</span><span> • </span><span>2 minutes read</span><span> • </span></small><ul class=tags><li><a class=tag href=https://aron.petau.net/tags/amazon/>amazon</a><li><a class=tag href=https://aron.petau.net/tags/browser-fingerprinting/>browser fingerprinting</a><li><a class=tag href=https://aron.petau.net/tags/capitalism/>capitalism</a><li><a class=tag href=https://aron.petau.net/tags/computer-vision/>computer vision</a><li><a class=tag href=https://aron.petau.net/tags/consumerism/>consumerism</a><li><a class=tag href=https://aron.petau.net/tags/data/>data</a><li><a class=tag href=https://aron.petau.net/tags/data-privacy/>data privacy</a><li><a class=tag href=https://aron.petau.net/tags/image-classifier/>image classifier</a><li><a class=tag href=https://aron.petau.net/tags/journal/>journal</a><li><a class=tag href=https://aron.petau.net/tags/javascript/>javascript</a><li><a class=tag href=https://aron.petau.net/tags/pattern-recognition/>pattern recognition</a><li><a class=tag href=https://aron.petau.net/tags/privacy/>privacy</a><li><a class=tag href=https://aron.petau.net/tags/studio-d-c/>studio d+c</a><li><a class=tag href=https://aron.petau.net/tags/todo-unfinished/>TODO, unfinished</a><li><a class=tag href=https://aron.petau.net/tags/university-of-the-arts-berlin/>university of the arts berlin</a></ul></div><div id=buttons-container><a title="Go to Top" href=#top id=go-to-top><i class=icon></i></a><a href="https://shareopenly.org/share/?url=https://aron.petau.net/project/ruminations/&text=Perspectives%20on%20Engineering" id=share title=Share><i class=icon></i></a><a title="File an Issue" href=https://forgejo.petau.net/aron/awebsite/issues id=issue><i class=icon></i></a></div><h2 id=Ruminations>Ruminations</h2><p>This project explores data privacy in the context of Amazon's ecosystem, questioning how we might subvert browser fingerprinting and challenge pervasive consumer tracking.<p>We began with a provocative question: Could we degrade the value of collected data not by avoiding tracking, but by actively engaging with it? Rather than trying to hide from surveillance, could we overwhelm it with meaningful yet unpredictable patterns?<p>Initially, we considered implementing a random clickbot to introduce noise into the data collection. However, given the sophistication of modern data cleanup algorithms and the sheer volume of data Amazon processes, such an approach would have been ineffective. They would simply filter out the random noise and continue their analysis.<p>This led us to a more interesting question: How can we create coherent, non-random data that remains fundamentally unpredictable? Our solution was to introduce patterns that exist beyond the predictive capabilities of current algorithms – similar to trying to predict the behavior of someone whose thought patterns follow their own unique logic.<h2 id=The_Concept>The Concept</h2><p>We developed a Chrome browser extension that overlays Amazon's web pages with a dynamic entity tracking user behavior. The system employs an image classifier algorithm to analyze the storefront and formulate product queries. After processing, it presents a "perfectly matched" product – a subtle commentary on algorithmic product recommendations.<h2 id=The_Analog_Watchdog>The Analog Watchdog</h2><p>The project's physical component consists of a low-tech installation using a smartphone camera running computer vision algorithms to track minute movements. We positioned this camera to monitor the browser console of a laptop running our extension. The camera feed is displayed on a screen, and the system generates robotic sounds based on the type and volume of detected movement. In practice, it serves as an audible alert system for data exchanges between Amazon and the browser.<h2 id=Implementation>Implementation</h2><div id=image-gallery><ul class=gallery><li class=gallery-item><a class=lightbox href=https://aron.petau.net/project/ruminations/ruminations1.jpeg target=_blank> <img alt="Project installation view showing the browser extension in action" src=https://aron.petau.net/project/ruminations/ruminations1.jpeg> </a> <p class=caption>The Ruminations installation in operation</p><li class=gallery-item><a class=lightbox href=https://aron.petau.net/project/ruminations/ruminations2.jpeg target=_blank> <img alt="Close-up of the tracking interface and data visualization" src=https://aron.petau.net/project/ruminations/ruminations2.jpeg> </a> <p class=caption>Real-time tracking visualization</p><li class=gallery-item><a class=lightbox href=https://aron.petau.net/project/ruminations/ruminations3.jpeg target=_blank> <img alt="The analog watchdog setup with camera and display" src=https://aron.petau.net/project/ruminations/ruminations3.jpeg> </a> <p class=caption>The analog watchdog monitoring system</p></ul></div><h2 id=Try_It_Yourself>Try It Yourself</h2><p>Want to explore or contribute to the project? Check out our code repository:<div class="buttons centered"><a class="big colored external" href=https://github.com/arontaupe/ruminations>View Project on GitHub</a></div></article><hr><nav id=post-nav><a class="post-nav-item post-nav-prev" href=https://aron.petau.net/project/lampshades/> <div class=nav-arrow>Previous</div> <span class=post-title>Lampshades</span> </a><a class="post-nav-item post-nav-next" href=https://aron.petau.net/project/auraglow/> <div class=nav-arrow>Next</div> <span class=post-title>Auraglow</span> </a></nav><span class=hidden id=copy-code-text>Copy Code</span><span class=hidden id=search-index>https://aron.petau.net/search_index.en.json</span><span class=hidden id=more-matches-text>$MATCHES more matches</span></main><footer id=site-footer><div class=carbonbadge id=wcb></div><script defer src=https://unpkg.com/website-carbon-badges@1.1.3/b.min.js></script><p><nav><ul><li><a href=https://aron.petau.net/project/>Projects</a><li><a 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