DailyTech - Porn Detection Stick Makes Spying on One's Significant Other a Cinch

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Blog: Hardware Porn Detection Stick Makes Spying on One's Significant Other a Cinch
Jason Mick (Blog) - March 3, 2010 1:19 PM

43 comment(s) - last by KathyWilliams.. on Mar 18 at 5:13 PM

(Source: Paraben)

Danger Will Robinson! Danger!

A little company called Paraben is attracting a lot of attention for a USB stick. It's not just any USB stick, though. Paraben has compiled a virtual toolshed of porn detecting software that makes discovering someone's computer habits as easy as plugging in a simple stick.

The stick retails for $100 and is compatible with Windows only. Proof Pronto is among the sites that sells the spy gear.

The software on the stick scans both current files and deleted files that haven't been overwritten on the hard drive for signs of porn. Specifically its algorithms scour the dingy depths of one's computer for "facial features, flesh tone colors, image back grounds, body part shapes, and more."

The new device could land some adult-content-loving video buffs in trouble with their significant other. Then again, times have changed and the porn stick may have trouble finding a market. However, it could find second life in helping people find their lost files, perhaps.

Currently the porn stick can't scan one's web history (or at least that's not one of the mentioned capabilities) -- and even if it could, private browsing would likely foil it.

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One word

By cochy on 3/3/2010 2:00:28 PM , Rating: 5

Truecrypt

RE: One word

By MozeeToby on 3/3/2010 3:10:12 PM , Rating: 5

Did you really just recommend Truecrypt to hide your porn habits from your significant other? Doesn't that seem a bit overkill for something that, in a healthy relationship, shouldn't cause much of a problem. I mean, unless you're encrypting your entire hard drive, that wouldn't even cut it, since it is undoubtably checking things like browser history and temporary files as well.

For what it's worth, my wife would be a lot more concerned if I suddenly password protected and encrypted my computer than she would be if she found me looking at porn.

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RE: One word

By cochy on 3/3/2010 3:11:37 PM , Rating: 5

quote:
browser history and temporary files as well.

Ah sorry you're right. Two words: Truecrypt + Incognito (browser mode).

A Truecrypt volume can be hidden to make it very hard to find. If it is found you can create a "hidden volume" with a different passphrase that contains the files you want to hide, but if forced to decrypt the volume, you can use another passphares that will decrypt the non-hidden volume which can contain arbitrary files.

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RE: One word

By inperfectdarkness on 3/4/2010 12:35:06 PM , Rating: 3

it's more than just the hiding stuff from a spouse. imagine if you were forbidden to posess erotica via mandate from your employer while working in certain locales.

...i'll leave it at that.

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RE: One word

By beerhound on 3/5/2010 4:01:12 PM , Rating: 2

GIs deployed to the gulf region????

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RE: One word

By Myg on 3/13/10, Rating: -1

RE: One word

By amanojaku on 3/3/2010 3:49:33 PM , Rating: 5

One word: divorce. Either accept my porn, act like a porn star, or go find someone else. Don't spy.

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RE: One word

By Lerianis on 3/3/10, Rating: -1

RE: One word

By Misty Dingos on 3/4/2010 9:19:48 AM , Rating: 1

Wow. Got some issues to deal with there? Mommy and daddy beat you as a kid?

The way you used the word "females" already places women in a subcategory. Like animals.
Does that make you feel more powerful? More in control?

Do you fear intimacy?

You do realize that people that are in happy marriages live longer, healthier and happier lives than angry, bitter, self loathing single "males" that can't refer to a woman as a woman.

Go get some counseling. Really. Wow.

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RE: One word

By wompirebat on 3/4/10, Rating: 0

By wompirebat on 3/4/2010 2:00:20 PM , Rating: 0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXpsT3e8UsM
While I do agree with Lerianis' sentiment, I find its delivery wanting. So allow me to try to contribute in a way that won't trigger psycho-therapeutic recommendations or condemnations.
This is an impractical place to delve into the history of marriage and its sociological impact on the formation of our societies. But let us see if we can't agree on the general idea and how it has changed.
The institution started off as a ceremony celebrating the union of two families. [the family unit being the historical foundation of our idea of government] In most areas of civilization, early marriages were arranged by the leaders of the two joining units. [matriarch and/or patriarch of both units – are you more comfortable with the female title first?]
As our economies developed and division of labor expanded, the center of rule also changed. It shifted from the leaders of the family units to religious leaders. As leadership changed, so did the impact of leadership on the ceremony of marriage. It was no longer just a familial affair, but religious one. And so, with further economic development and division of labor the center of leadership is once again relocated, this time to governments. This last shift, to government, has only taken place relatively recently. The 20th century saw the largest expansion of government involvement in the institution of marriage. With the period of the largest economic growth came a fundamental change in the lives of modern peoples. People experience newfound luxuries and leasure time allowing them to develop relationships based on their personal desires rather than necessity. Technology essentially rendered the institution of marriage obsolete.
Now rather than just a celebration of the union of two families, or a religious ceremony, marriage is a legal and binding contract. Given this fundamental change in the nature of marriage I find it hard to conceptualize the benefit of introducing an expropriative monopoly [government] into the relationship.
If your relationship is based on love, affection, a mutual understanding, rose petals, and adorable little kittens... explain how the inclusion of an almighty powerful and controlling third party is necessary. It seems to me that only a person with control issues and a lust for power would want such an inclusion. How can you condemn someone as emotionally defective for simply wanting to minimize their exposure to an expropriative agent? If parents beating their children is truly responsible for the formation of such rational self-preservation, I find it hard to argue against beating children on such grounds.
And in what way are 'intimacy' and a government contract so linked?
Your idea that marriage is the necessary component for a longer, healthier and happier life needs proof. In what way does a relationship succeed or fail based on ceremony or contract?

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RE: One word

By Misty Dingos on 3/4/2010 6:34:19 PM , Rating: 2

http://www.amazon.com/Case-Marriage-Married-Health...
You will note that she makes her argument only for happy marriages. Take that for what it is worth.

My previous post was more toward poking the grumpy trolls with a stick. I derive endless amusement from it. Yea I probably need counseling for that.

But you actually replied to my post in a thoughtful and reasoned way. You do realize that you will hunted down and jailed for that. There can’t be thoughtful discourse! The trolls will be bored. And bored trolls throw crap. I have a crap shield so here goes with my reply to you.

Marriage is exactly what the two or more people (of whatever sex or sexes) make of it. It also is a social construct in every country and culture I can think of. You are either bravely trying to argue against our collective insanity or you are tilting at windmills.

Trying to encumber modern marriage with the historical context is pointless. In ancient times my ancestors killed people and tossed the bodies into bogs to ensure a good harvest. Today I would rather use a good fertilizer and watch the weather reports. The fact that ‘government’ is involved in marriage is simply because people started not being married (which probably happened after the first wedding night or the first vacation to Las Vegas) and the parties wishing to be unmarried applied to whatever form of social redress was available to them. We simply evolved a body of rules that the majority of society accepted as useful and beneficial. You could blame the past for the fact that we have laws also using the same logic you used to attack marriage. The argument is simply fallacious.

The concept that at some point a society will not have social, legal or religious constructs to deal with our mating rituals is ludicrous. I don’t mean to be dismissive of your argument but people are people and they just simply haven’t changed that much since our first mud hut village. Nor will humanity change enough in the even distant future to discard marriage in one or several forms for a logically driven, pool table level playing field for human procreation or human companionship.

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RE: One word

By shaidorsai on 3/16/2010 6:04:57 PM , Rating: 3

Uh-mm...I don't think marriage started off as two families celebrating anything. I'm pretty sure marriage was invented by Royalty to protect wealth, land and power and has since been turned into a system of control beneficial to women only. For any sane male marriage is a losing proposition at best. But then again Love and sane don't usually go in the same sentence...

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RE: One word

By frozentundra123456 on 3/4/2010 4:53:09 PM , Rating: 3

Are you sure married men really live longer or does it just seem that way???

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RE: One word

By randomly on 3/8/2010 2:14:27 PM , Rating: 5

Speaking as a married man, it sure seems like forever....

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RE: One word

By Samus on 3/12/2010 3:44:07 PM , Rating: 2

I didn't realize everybody on DT is a phsycologist.

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RE: One word

By tastyratz on 3/3/2010 6:05:14 PM , Rating: 5

+1
If you go spying on my pc to find my porn you have bigger problems like my boot in your ass. I wouldn't tolerate a chick like that - no snoopy sneakies allowed

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RE: One word

By HotFoot on 3/4/2010 3:07:40 PM , Rating: 2

Best use for this would be a partner doing some research into what the other is really into, so they can pleasantly surprise them in the next romp. Otherwise - yeah it's an intentionally invasive technology that reeks of trust issues.

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RE: One word

By christojojo on 3/5/2010 2:45:54 PM , Rating: 1

Yeah I told my wife I will watch porn until she puts out more than once.

Sigh I watch a lot of porn.... :)

(joke) (It is sad that I even have to tell you that it is a joke.)

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RE: One word

By KathyWilliams on 3/18/2010 5:13:05 PM , Rating: 2

The software on the stick scans both current files and deleted files that haven't been overwritten on the hard drive for signs of porn.
http://www.topgradeacai.org

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RE: One word

By toxicpenguin on 3/5/2010 6:50:51 PM , Rating: 2

So... wanna browse porn.... get a Mac :)

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RE: One word

By ZachDontScare on 3/10/2010 2:58:14 PM , Rating: 2

There's an app for that.

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RE: One word

By Hannibal256 on 3/11/2010 8:41:48 PM , Rating: 2

I like BitLocker.

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This is stupid

By Bioniccrackmonk on 3/3/2010 2:51:50 PM , Rating: 3

My girlfriend doesn't need a porn detection stick to know I watch porn, she is sitting there with me. I guess an honest and open relationship isn't the norm these days.

RE: This is stupid

By acase on 3/3/2010 3:03:49 PM , Rating: 5

Then again I wouldn't call wathcing porn while your cat stares at you in disgust a normal relationship either.

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RE: This is stupid

By aegisofrime on 3/4/2010 8:41:54 AM , Rating: 5

Not all cats are ceiling cats.

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RE: This is stupid

By Omega215D on 3/5/2010 10:36:33 AM , Rating: 2

Nah, those ceiling cats only watch if you start masturbating in the name of self-preservation since God will kill the poor kitty if you do the deed...

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RE: This is stupid

By Bioniccrackmonk on 3/4/2010 1:28:29 PM , Rating: 2

We appreciate you sharing personal stories like this, it gives us something to laugh about for the rest of the day.

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RE: This is stupid

By HrilL on 3/3/2010 7:31:37 PM , Rating: 2

Heh yeah that is what I was thinking. My ex liked to watch porn quite a bit. She liked the ones with the retarded story lines. If I want a story I'll watch a movie. If I want to see some action I don't need the story.

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RE: This is stupid

By marvdmartian on 3/5/2010 9:27:06 AM , Rating: 2

Not to mention the fact that most people that post here probably have watched enough porn that this thing would heat up, fizzle, and POOF!, a puff of smoke would come out of the device......destroyed, in just a second!! ;)

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Facials

By bradmshannon on 3/3/2010 1:40:11 PM , Rating: 5

quote:
facial features

ROFL

RE: Facials

By acase on 3/3/2010 2:49:59 PM , Rating: 2

That is the smallest black porn dongle I've ever seen!

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RE: Facials

By MrBlastman on 3/4/2010 11:39:28 AM , Rating: 3

It is because of pr0n that I can't send my wife to a spa to get a "facial." :-| The thought of some suave spa guy whipping out his cream to slather over her face just gets me all bothered. ;)

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one work

By frozentundra123456 on 3/4/2010 4:57:10 PM , Rating: 2

What about programs like 12 Ghosts Wash, CC Cleaner, etc. When they "clean" internet history,temp files, etc, do they overwrite what they "delete", or could it be recovered by a program or device such as this? Just curious.

RE: one work

By atlmann10 on 3/4/2010 6:10:49 PM , Rating: 2

Hey frozen that depends on your setting's in Ccleaner specifically, you can have it clean as far down as the registry in advanced, as well as delete web files etc...

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