Live data from Hacker News

Facebook Portal – Privacy review

foundation.mozilla.org

21–30 of 113 posts

Re: Facebook Portal – Privacy review

#21
post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People have purchased - and installed - Google Home (and Mini's) and Alexa's in their homes. They think they're "cute", and offer a valuable service to them. They are a microphone controlled by data raping giants. People use "Assistants" and enable full tracking technologies on their devices ("See how great it is Google has your every location on a map for the last decade"). People have not only accepted but embraced…

I don't think it is. The difference is that Gmail/Amazon aren't hated the same way as Facebook is. People aren't smart about surveillance, they're not smart enough to realize that giving Instagram access to their phone is a bad idea. But, there are 2 perfectly capable home assistants on the market today that (right or wrong) aren't part of the same consumer-level narrative about privacy, and people like simple, strai…

>People aren't smart about surveillance, they're not smart enough to realize that giving Instagram access to their phone is a bad idea

I've seen this argument a lot, the issue is not people are not smart enough but people have different value toward privacy. I understand tech and yet I'm fine and even supporting this kind of tech. I understand its really hard and sucks to be in the side where you think is nightmare but other people think is not an issue. But thats the reality, people can have different value.

Re: Facebook Portal – Privacy review

#22
post #20

This title is somewhat problematic. It makes it sound like the portal has "privacy not included" and yet that is the name of the blog. In fact, the Portal meets the Mozilla Foundation's "Minimum Security Standards". It gets a yes for encryption, security updates, strong password, manages vulnerabilities and a privacy policy! This is honestly kind of cruddy. You can feel however you want to feel about Facebook, but th…

I wonder what the consequences would be if after a few years Facebook just decided to disable E2E encryption and all those privacy features, and started collecting and using all that data for advertising purposes contrary to what they're claiming now?

Another $5 billion fine? $10 billion? $100 billion? If enough people buy it, it could still be a profitable endeavor.

Although I'm sure we can trust Facebook not to do that. They certainly deserve it /s

Re: Facebook Portal – Privacy review

#24
post #3

We all know what product-market fit is. Portal is an example of bad company-product fit.

A very interesting point. Nobody has any complaints about the Portal itself, just the fact that it's from Facebook. If a different company had come out with it... let's face it, that company would be swallowed by Google/Amazon/Facebook/MS sooner or later.

Re: Facebook Portal – Privacy review

#25
post #7

I cannot even think of a single person in any of my networks of people who would buy this and put it in their home. It has "hell no" written all over it. It's almost arrogant or bizarre that they would try to launch such a product given how people feel about Facebook and privacy. I suppose it's simply to satisfy shareholders who think Facebook needs to compete in this market???? It's the Zune of the Living-Room Assis…

The average person tends not to care too much about their privacy. It's an abstract problem, and it'd take an extreme like video evidence of a Facebook employee jacking it to a nude photo they discretely captured from your webcam while you were in the bathroom.

Just look at the Oculus Rift. The "sensors" are literally webcams connected to a Facebook app that you point at your living room, your bedroom, your kids, etc. Yet people see a new toy and none of that matters. Even tech-savvy and privacy conscious people will contort their world views to justify the purchase.

Re: Facebook Portal – Privacy review

#27
post #22
post #20

This title is somewhat problematic. It makes it sound like the portal has "privacy not included" and yet that is the name of the blog. In fact, the Portal meets the Mozilla Foundation's "Minimum Security Standards". It gets a yes for encryption, security updates, strong password, manages vulnerabilities and a privacy policy! This is honestly kind of cruddy. You can feel however you want to feel about Facebook, but th…

I wonder what the consequences would be if after a few years Facebook just decided to disable E2E encryption and all those privacy features, and started collecting and using all that data for advertising purposes contrary to what they're claiming now? Another $5 billion fine? $10 billion? $100 billion? If enough people buy it, it could still be a profitable endeavor. Although I'm sure we can trust Facebook not to do…

Just wait until they turn all photos public even ones deleted in the past.

It is in their terms if they choose.

Re: Facebook Portal – Privacy review

#28
> Even the Muppets can’t make Facebook Portal seem less creepy (linked article at FastCompany) [1]

The Muppets pushing anything is and already was obscene (Kermit sipping Lipton meme, anyone?). Their first feature film, which is roughly as old as I am, revolved around Kermit following his dream and specifically not selling out his own species by making an advertisement.

[1] https://www.fastcompany.com/90409198/even-the-muppets-cant-m...

Re: Facebook Portal – Privacy review

#29
post #20

This title is somewhat problematic. It makes it sound like the portal has "privacy not included" and yet that is the name of the blog. In fact, the Portal meets the Mozilla Foundation's "Minimum Security Standards". It gets a yes for encryption, security updates, strong password, manages vulnerabilities and a privacy policy! This is honestly kind of cruddy. You can feel however you want to feel about Facebook, but th…

Very much so. It's also not included in the original title, so not much of an excuse here.

If "Facebook Portal" is not descriptive enough, a case might be made for minor editorializing, but e.g. "Facebook Portal: Privacy Assessment" would be much less (mis)leading.

Re: Facebook Portal – Privacy review

#30
post #18
post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm glad it's not just me. I looked at this and thought, "What the f*ck am I reading?" Is it a review? Is it telling me it's secure? It's good? It's bad? What are the 5 stars for? Should I buy it? Should I not? The page is just really badly put together and it's not really clear what I'm looking at.

The best part is the pointless poll that then uses a dark pattern to collect your email address to spam you if you want to look at the results

You could say no thanks and view the results without giving an email
Post reply on HN