Microsoft has filed a patent for a technology that would let Kinect detect how many people are consuming content at a given time — a tool that may protect digital content rights at the risk of alienating consumers concerned about their privacy.

Kinect would monitor how many people are in the room when a game or piece of entertainment is being displayed and "take remedial action" if the number of user-views licensed is exceeded, according to the patent application.

Reps from Microsoft could not be reached for comment on the patent.

According to the filing, the technology is designed to address content which has a license that "comprises an absolute limited number of user performances." So, if you only had three performances per user left and Kinect detected four people in the room, you could theoretically suffer that "remedial action."

On Reddit, where the patent was trending Tuesday morning, users evoked 1984's Big Brother, 2001: A Space Odyssey's devious supercomputer HAL and speculated on how users might hide to avoid Kinect's sensors or put tape over it to avoid detection. Another Redditor asked why not unplug the device or, better yet never buy it in the first place.

Get Your Tickets to Mashable Media Summit

The Mashable Media Summit 2012 will explore the impact that technology is having on media, and how digital media is affecting our lives and changing the world. This one-day conference will bring together the brightest minds in media, including content creators, technology leaders, entrepreneurs, social media executives and journalists.

Date: Friday, Nov. 30, 2012

Time: 9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Location: The TimesCenter, 242 West 41st Street, New York, NY 10036

Tickets: Purchase tickets on Eventbrite.

A Look Back at Last Year's Mashable Media Summit

Mashable Media Summit 2011

Supporting Sponsor

Sponsorship Opportunities

A limited number of sponsor opportunities are available for the Mashable Media Summit. This is an excellent opportunity to get in front of Mashable’s passionate and influential audience. Contact sponsorships@mashable.com for opportunities.