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Headphones are collecting too much personal data (2019)

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Re: Headphones are collecting too much personal data (2019)

#251

Post by NoPicklez »

niklasd wrote: post #182
monksy wrote: post #167

The article should have buried sony for how egregious they are. They require the app to collect location information, and ear. https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/articles/00233341 I'm not sure what else they collect.. but those are the 2 bad ones. They've got a few settings that are software controlled (one being the bluetooth's internal volume) What happens if you get a software update and you open the app on…

I recently tried out wireless noise-cancelling headphones from both Bose and Sony, and (the important privacy issues aside) the user experience with these apps is just horrible. You unpack your Bose headphone, eager to use them. But before that, you have to download an app on the iPhone, then download a software update program on your laptop, which in turn opens a program in the browser that downloads an update, then…

I own the Bose QC 35's and I never had to use an app at all until I decided to update them to the latest software

Re: Headphones are collecting too much personal data (2019)

#252

Post by qwerty456127 »

We just should to stop tolerating conventional things using Internet connection. There is no way headphones really need an Internet-connected app to work and even to let you use advanced functions (i.e. all the configuration can be implemented in a purely offline app). And if they don't need they should not even nudge, let alone require, you to install such. Most of the people just don't give a uck, somebody competent on the state level should give it.

Re: Headphones are collecting too much personal data (2019)

#254

Post by askvictor »

acd wrote: post #115

I tend to use passive headphones with 3.5mm jack, they have no electronics in them except the small speakers. They do not collect data. They are also used by musicians when doing audio mixing so its should sounds neutral and good. That the headphones does not have electronics and batteries means they will last longer and thus be be better for the environment.

Also, for phone calls and conferencing, wired headsets have neglible latency, compared to bluetooth, which is likely at least 100ms. In itself, this isn't terrible, but add the other latencies in (e.g. wifi, inter-city network). Our brains do a great job of compensating, but I'm starting to think that this compensating comes at a cost (headaches, tiredness), especially if you're on conferences all day as many are in remote work.

Re: Headphones are collecting too much personal data (2019)

#255

Post by mandelbrotwurst »

squarefoot wrote: post #225
mandelbrotwurst wrote: post #172

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Geez, that's brutal. I'm glad I'm seeing this....it never crossed my mind that this sort of thing would be something that might get built into headphones. If I want to avoid this sort of thing, I'm thinking / hoping it's sufficient to simply avoid headphones that require an app. Does that seem right?

"I'm thinking / hoping it's sufficient to simply avoid headphones that require an app." Every effing time they convince users to install an app they magically have a tool to steal peoples personal data. Not just headphones: the kids toy drone can be controlled using an app from the cellphone? The security camera just purchased doesn't use standard protocols over a web browser but needs its own app? The IoT system doe…

I am aware of these issues and yet also sometimes prefer to have headphones without wires.

Re: Headphones are collecting too much personal data (2019)

#256

Post by MaxBarraclough »

monksy wrote: post #167

The article should have buried sony for how egregious they are. They require the app to collect location information, and ear. https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/articles/00233341 I'm not sure what else they collect.. but those are the 2 bad ones. They've got a few settings that are software controlled (one being the bluetooth's internal volume) What happens if you get a software update and you open the app on…

Interesting, didn't know they used photos of the user's ears.

There has been research done on identifying people by their ears. [0]

> You can't use it because it requires the internet to get the latest _required tos_ to use your headphones.

Can't you just uninstall the app entirely? They're standard Bluetooth headphones, right?

[0] https://www.southampton.ac.uk/news/2010/10/new-method-to-ide...

Re: Headphones are collecting too much personal data (2019)

#257

Post by cjsawyer »

NoPicklez wrote: post #251
niklasd wrote: post #182

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I recently tried out wireless noise-cancelling headphones from both Bose and Sony, and (the important privacy issues aside) the user experience with these apps is just horrible. You unpack your Bose headphone, eager to use them. But before that, you have to download an app on the iPhone, then download a software update program on your laptop, which in turn opens a program in the browser that downloads an update, then…

I own the Bose QC 35's and I never had to use an app at all until I decided to update them to the latest software

You can’t change the noise canceling settings without the phone app. They also default back to “full” after you power cycle the headset. I wanted to use them with a PC and no ANC but no luck without the clunky phone process.

Re: Headphones are collecting too much personal data (2019)

#258

Post by m463 »

myth2018 wrote: post #154

Drugstores in Brazil are doing it and that concerns me A LOT. Their modus operandi is to ask you your CPF (it's like an SSN, but not that secret and powerful) and, if you refuse to tell them, you are not eligible for some discounts which can reach 40% in some more expensive items. Customers happily agree to give their CPFs, completely unaware they are of the potentially disastrous consequences, and we are not even of…

That's an interesting thought. The european GDPR and I think the california CCPA have some sort of clause that says if you decide not to allow, you have to be treated the same.

But loyalty discount cards and your drugstore example should have a way to get the discount without giving up your anonymity. This would be better for society.

Re: Headphones are collecting too much personal data (2019)

#259

Post by fomine3 »

niklasd wrote: post #182
monksy wrote: post #167

The article should have buried sony for how egregious they are. They require the app to collect location information, and ear. https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/articles/00233341 I'm not sure what else they collect.. but those are the 2 bad ones. They've got a few settings that are software controlled (one being the bluetooth's internal volume) What happens if you get a software update and you open the app on…

I recently tried out wireless noise-cancelling headphones from both Bose and Sony, and (the important privacy issues aside) the user experience with these apps is just horrible. You unpack your Bose headphone, eager to use them. But before that, you have to download an app on the iPhone, then download a software update program on your laptop, which in turn opens a program in the browser that downloads an update, then…

AirPods also requires to use app for many features but the app is integrated to iOS. IMO It's worse than dedicated app.

Re: Headphones are collecting too much personal data (2019)

#260

Post by myth2018 »

someguyorother wrote: post #188
myth2018 wrote: post #154

Drugstores in Brazil are doing it and that concerns me A LOT. Their modus operandi is to ask you your CPF (it's like an SSN, but not that secret and powerful) and, if you refuse to tell them, you are not eligible for some discounts which can reach 40% in some more expensive items. Customers happily agree to give their CPFs, completely unaware they are of the potentially disastrous consequences, and we are not even of…

How do they know the CPF you give is really yours (or exists at all)? Do they also insist that you use a credit card?

There are commercial services which allows companies to query government's database to check a given CPF's situation.

But they usually don't confirm that the number you give actually belongs to you. I always give a bogus, yet valid number (123.456.789-09). It's usually mapped to a customer, so somebody has already had the same idea or it's the remainders of a test database. They frown sometimes (actual CPFs follow very distinct number patterns) but didn't complain so far.

They don't insist that you use a credit or debit card, which are much more common than cash over here. I couldn't confirm yet, but I suspect that they have access to some identification of yours whenever you use a card, so I usually pay in cash, which is pretty annoying because they never have change.

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