TiVo ethics question

[Coventina]

SO and I are at his parents' house. They have TiVo.
I was idly flipping channels when I came across Fox News Channel.
MUCH TO MY SURPRISE it has a "thumbs down" rating on it. (If you are not familiar with TiVo, you can give programs "thumbs up" and "thumbs down" so that TiVo can learn your likes and dislikes, in an attempt to serve you better).

You see, the SO's father is pretty much a freeper, he CONSTANTLY watches Fox News Channel, and subscribes to Newsmax. We have infrequent, yet heated arguments about politics.

So why the thumbs down? I have a theory - - I'll get to that in a minute.

My ethics question is this, when I saw the "thumbs down" on Fox, I gave it another, so it now has 2 "thumbs down" (it is possible to give up to three). Did I do wrong to alter their personal rating on their personal TiVo service?

My theory on the first "thumbs down" is that SO's mother is the primary TiVo user in the house. I'm thinking she gave it the thumbs down because TiVo was recommending stuff to her based on the fact that the father watches Fox News Channel. SO, in a way, by giving it another thumbs down, I'm helping her keep "her" TiVo Fox Free.

Thoughts?

[Teddy_Salad]

1. My in-laws are freepers

When Mrs. Salad and myself go on vacation, the in-laws come and stay at our house.

We have the FOX News Channel blocked on our satellite so that they cannot watch it while they are there.

Naughty, huh?
Ethical? I dunno, but it sure riles them that they can't watch O'Really? at our house.

:smoke:

[Dookus]

2. well...

the simple way to answer many ethical questions is to imagine yourself on the other side.

Would you like people changing your Tivo settings without your knowledge?

[Coventina]

3. Hmmmmm......you make a good point

Okay, next question: Should I 'fess up? Or should I try to change it back on the sly? Or, should I just leave it be?

[Dookus]

4. Oh just change it back...

you're not tryin' to be jesus.

[Pithlet]

5. Your theory is likely.

At first, we had to thumbs down all the news channels, even the ones we watch, because it kept recording them. It takes awhile for it to get a, good picture of what you want to watch, so it just guesses, and records weird stuff. Ours has recorded two hours of the weather channel before.

I would just change it back next time just because it's the right thing to do, but I don't think it will make a big difference in what their TiVo will record.