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Amazon Sidewalk

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Re: Amazon Sidewalk

#241

Post by dvfjsdhgfv »

Swenrekcah wrote: post #141
hsbauauvhabzb wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wasn’t the entire point of 5G to reduce the cost so that this dystopian ‘internet of phone home day bypassing all your security controls’?

Our only recourse at this point are very strict laws that require all devices that do this to periodically and very explicitly state they are doing so, also providing the option to turn the 'feature' off. The important part then is that failure to comply needs to result in personal liability for retailers, distributors and manufacturers. That second part is the one that will probably never come true but it is the onl…

The first part will probably happen in Europe, but I can't imagine it in the USA, the lobby is too strong.

Re: Amazon Sidewalk

#242

Post by adriancr »

buran77 wrote: post #228
mandelbrotwurst wrote: post #181

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That’s a great move and I applaud you and also I wonder whether LG would start disabling TVs unable to get their requests through if they noticed a critical mass of them doing that. “We noticed you’re using an ad-blocker” ...

They probably wouldn't be allowed to disable the basic functionality of the TV, at least not without marketing it as "online only TV", which wouldn't look good (your internet may fail, or you may want it in a place without internet). LG will disable your "smart features" if you refuse the EULA. But that's actually the optimistic and desired outcome. The undesirable outcome is that they just hardcode some IPs or DNS i…

You can fix the hardcoded dns IP addresses.

I just blocked all DNS traffic outside of directed to a dnsmasq container allowing only whitelisted hosts (I just allow netflix on smart tv)

Next step is to block all traffic to IP Addresses that have not been resolved by that. That would fix DoH but it seems overkill for now.

Re: Amazon Sidewalk

#244

Post by mchristen »

sithadmin wrote: post #234
ulzeraj wrote: post #147

Earlier quoted context omitted.

IMO. There should be a market for: - Dumb panels (not monitors). Perhaps stripped down recycled smart tvs. - Smart tvs but with user replaceable firmware. Think OpenWRT for TVs. Maybe the same guy who does the dumb panels could sell those but with a raspberry pi in place of the logic board. Of course a monitor solves these issues but these are normally smaller and more expensive.

There is a huge market for 'dumb panels', under the moniker of 'digital signage'. Nearly every major TV vendor has 'dumb' displays SKUs on offer in many different configs. The only problem is that they aren't always easy to get one's hand on, as they usually are sold through b2b channels instead of consumer-facing retail outlets.

They are oftentimes way more expense, I'm guessing because you aren't subsidizing the cost with your data.

Re: Amazon Sidewalk

#245

Post by dvfjsdhgfv »

wraptile wrote: post #148
hsbauauvhabzb wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wasn’t the entire point of 5G to reduce the cost so that this dystopian ‘internet of phone home day bypassing all your security controls’?

Can't wait for when aluminium foil wrapping your TV is the new normal!

Your comment is less facetious when you realize how many people (including tech-savvy ones like Zuckerberg) put a piece of tape over their laptop cameras. Yet, the industry doesn't care.

Re: Amazon Sidewalk

#246

Post by dd_roger »

FartyMcFarter wrote: post #57

> helps devices like Amazon Echo devices, Ring Security Cams, outdoor lights, motion sensors, and Tile trackers work better at home and beyond the front door. I hope they inform their customers that filming and recording public spots or other people's houses in Europe requires advertising the presence of CCTV and adhering to data protection laws. I have a feeling that in the coming years the number of neighbours suin…

It's plain illegal in Switzerland regardless of CCTV signs. Even dashcams are in a gray area where it should technically be illegal but it has never been enforced before a court as far as I know (dashcam are extremely rare here anyway). I wonder how it works for Tesla cars that record their surrounding when parked, maybe they don't have that feature here. Surveillance of public areas is only permited with very good reasons (e.g protecting outdoor ATMs) and must be restricted at the minimum required to serve its purpose.

Re: Amazon Sidewalk

#247

Post by patentatt »

Clewza313 wrote: post #104
choeger wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This. That move is just one step further in removing control. They now have sealed devices that can have who knows what functions but are confined to the network. Next step is to have a concealed upstream. After that they will somehow get a legal mandate to force such devices on you (like the EU did with cars). Maybe they will use smoke detectors or "emergency" services. In the end, this is exactly like in 1984.

So armed Amazon goons kicking down your door and bringing you to the dungeons of the Ministry of Customer Obsession to be tortured with fake cattle prod knockoffs?

Do the amazon knock off cattle prods hurt more or less than genuine ones? Like, do they just not work? Are they just bricks in boxes? Or do they instantly cause death? I’m joking, but I go through this logic each time I regrettably make an amazon purchase: what’s the knock-off failure mode. Vitamins? Heavy metal poisoning. No go. Pens? They don’t write well. Acceptable for amazon purchase.

Re: Amazon Sidewalk

#248

Post by notyourday »

ulzeraj wrote: post #147
squarefoot wrote: post #50

So, if I buy a so called Smart-TV (not because I like it but because traditional ones are getting harder to find) but don't set up it on my home network so it can't phone home, it could scan around anyway and find other open devices more than willing to participate in my personal data exfiltration? If the Amazon project succeeds, I would expect in a few months most home devices manufacturers, to partner to implement…

IMO. There should be a market for: - Dumb panels (not monitors). Perhaps stripped down recycled smart tvs. - Smart tvs but with user replaceable firmware. Think OpenWRT for TVs. Maybe the same guy who does the dumb panels could sell those but with a raspberry pi in place of the logic board. Of course a monitor solves these issues but these are normally smaller and more expensive.

https://www.sceptre.com/ has a nice selection of dumb TVs at reasonable prices

Re: Amazon Sidewalk

#249

Post by H1Supreme »

PurpleFoxy wrote: post #114
walrus01 wrote: post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Coming soon, YouTube video guides on how to locate the rf ICs on the motherboard of your smart tv, and take a Dremel cutting disk to the section of the PCB that has the copper traces for the antenna.

And then the tv bricks when it can’t access the network for 10 days.

Is this true? The GUI on my smart TV is so slow and laggy, that I planned on getting a Roku and disconnecting it from my network.

Makes me want to sniff the traffic and see what kind of replies it's getting. Maybe just spoof it.

Re: Amazon Sidewalk

#250

Post by notyourday »

massysett wrote: post #220
ulzeraj wrote: post #174

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It's hard to market something that costs more and has what most people would perceive to be fewer features. I'd pay for privacy and control. The other option like I've said is to recycle and mod smart tvs and rewrite their logic so that the user can do wathever he wants. Maybe marketing the modding kits. That would be more akin to those people who install custom open source bios on IBM Thinkpads.

> I'd pay for privacy and control. Then buy a monitor. They have HDMI ports so they can get whatever video feed you need. Some even have speakers.

Monitors lack remote controls.
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