So far, public attention has focused on the potential threats to privacy as companies use technology to gather clues about their customers' buyinghabits and lifestyles.
The idea to collect and analyze buyinghabits of grocery store customers came to LaValle and He while both worked brutal hours in the technology group for the investment giant Morgan Stanley in late 2009.
KDDI, a mobile and fixed line communications company in Japan, has developed extensive information about its customers through the data it collects including URLs visited, type of mobile device, purchase history and buyinghabits, gender and age group.