> The difference is that we know our phones have microphones and cameras and internet.
The question is, does that really matter? Isn't that just something you tell yourself to feel like you're still in control, ahead of the game? I have two colleagues who in general are pretty concerned with privacy, data protection etc. but still bought an echo. Then countered my surprise with the same argument: at least I know it's listening and how it works! Like somehow, that knowledge makes you immune to the Problem. In reality, you don't suddenly behave differently at home. You won't think twice before saying something. You just managed to fool yourself enough to deal with that cognitive dissonance.
And I'm all for charges against google here, I mean I dislike them more every day because of something they did, including this story. It's just funny that some people still think you can trust them in any way.
I have also bought an Amazon Echo, but I unplug it when it's out of use for extended periods of time.
I wouldn't purchase a similar product from Facebook, because I trust Amazon with my personal data more than Facebook.
I've never purchased a Smart TV that contains a microphone.
Just because I make some decisions you disagree with in balancing my privacy and convenience trade-offs doesn't mean I should be prevented from making those decisions at all.
I have also bought an Amazon Echo, but I unplug it when it's out of use for extended periods of time.
I was given a Google Home for Christmas, and won't even take it out of the box. I'd give it away, but that not really solving the problem.
I've never purchased a Smart TV that contains a microphone.
My LG has one in the remote control. But I disallowed the TV from my home wifi about a year ago. I don't trust LG, and looking through the 53 screens of Terms of Service LG thinks need to agree to just to watch TV, I probably did the right thing.
Yes it does matter. I have camera covers for my phone and laptop. In terms of microphones I keep the phone and laptop away from me when I have conversations about politics. Call me paranoid but we know that the potential for listening in is there and I just don't know who is recording what. Remember that only two generations ago my German jew grandparents were put in camps. I don't live in a constant state of fear or anything like that, these precautions have just become habit.
Legally speaking, it really does matter (18 U.S.C. 2511(2)(d) [1]) [my emphasis]:
> It shall not be unlawful under this chapter for a person [...] to intercept a wire, oral, or electronic communication where such person is a party to the communication or where one of the parties to the communication has given prior consent to such interception [...].
That's not what he's saying. The section he is quoting is that if the user already consented to e.g. an Amazon Echo listening with a microphone then that's totally legal. Hence it does matter whether or not Google disclosed this to the end user although reading through the rest of that section there's nothing there that would implicate Google if they didn't actually use the microphone in some way. I'm not saying there isn't some law being broken here, but it isn't in 18 U.S. Code § 2511.
The question is, does that really matter? Isn't that just something you tell yourself to feel like you're still in control, ahead of the game? I have two colleagues who in general are pretty concerned with privacy, data protection etc. but still bought an echo. Then countered my surprise with the same argument: at least I know it's listening and how it works! Like somehow, that knowledge makes you immune to the Problem. In reality, you don't suddenly behave differently at home. You won't think twice before saying something. You just managed to fool yourself enough to deal with that cognitive dissonance.
And I'm all for charges against google here, I mean I dislike them more every day because of something they did, including this story. It's just funny that some people still think you can trust them in any way.