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Amazon device recorded private conversation, sent it out to random contact

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Re: Amazon device recorded private conversation, sent it out to random contact

#371

Post by MikkoFinell »

ggg9990 wrote: post #178
fouric wrote: post #167

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They should feel more comfortable than an equivalent system built by a company that is looking to profit off of your data - and additionally, you can give the guest stronger guarantees that when you say that the system is "off", it actually is.

The chance that a random implementer has a security vulnerability is much higher than that Jeff Bezos is listening to me watch TV. A private system is more vulnerable to target attack and an Amazon system is more vulnerable to mass surveillance.

Why not just program it in Rust if you want to guarantee that the system doesn't have any security vulnerabilities?

Re: Amazon device recorded private conversation, sent it out to random contact

#372

Post by EvanAnderson »

zymhan wrote: post #332
sdenton4 wrote: post #329

Earlier quoted context omitted.

AFAIK, pocket dials have mainly been reduced by improvements in phones, rather than changes in user behavior; if the camera just sees inside of a pocket, it's unlikely to be an intentional button press.

I mean way back in the day when people had candy-bar phones and had to remember to enable the keypad lock :D

I made a number of emergency calls from my pocket on my Nokia 1100 even with key lock enabled. It was infuriating. It happened once when I was having a heated argument with somebody and it took some work to convince the dispatcher not to send a law enforcement officer. (There was nothing physical happening and no threats of violence, but we were speaking very sharply to each other.) I do not miss that about my Nokia 1100 at all.

Re: Amazon device recorded private conversation, sent it out to random contact

#373

Post by pessimizer »

kinsomo wrote: post #330
tree_of_item wrote: post #293

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Intent is a very important factor when answering the question "should the lights be one," I don't think you'll be able to predict that. For instance: if movement is detected in the bedroom at 2AM, should the lights come on? The answer is: a very strong maybe. You would be collecting data from many sources in order to predict intent. This is why you need a centralized server.

> You would be collecting data from many sources in order to predict intent. This is why you need a centralized server. Please explain, exactly, what other sources you would collect data from and how the central server would process it to determine if I want the lights on in the middle of the night. IMHO, determining intent in this scenario is impossible without... 1. a mind-reading sensor, or... 2. an explicit user…

> Please explain how, exactly, what other sources you would collect data from and how the central server would process it to determine if I want the lights on.

The more data, the more smarter. In fact, the only difference between a thermostat and the human mind is the number of datas. This is because the Law of Averages predicts that half of all datas will be relevant.

Re: Amazon device recorded private conversation, sent it out to random contact

#374

Post by mikeash »

tambourine_man wrote: post #358
mikeash wrote: post #324

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In my mind, you’re giving almost nothing if you already have a cell phone. I made a different choice, but I totally understand why someone would choose not to have a phone or smart speaker due to privacy concerns. What I don’t get is someone who has a phone but sees smart speakers as crazy.

So, if I understand you correctly: - You are pretty certain that your phone is listening at all times, even though it's set not to. - You see no difference between a product that's advertised manly as a listening device and one that also has such a feature, that can theoretically be turned off, and is very useful otherwise.

I don’t think my phone is listening, other than the wake word. Same deal with my smart speakers. I think either one could, if hacked or just updated by the manufacturer with nefarious intent.

I see no difference, privacy-wise, between the two. I don’t care how they’re advertised, I care what they’re capable of.

Re: Amazon device recorded private conversation, sent it out to random contact

#375

Post by wilsonnb »

rectang wrote: post #370
wilsonnb wrote: post #356

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So you're saying that all data that has made it to the cloud will eventually leak? That seems like a strange assumption to me.

Yes. Assume that all data uploaded to the cloud will eventually be compromised. That is the only safe assumption. Not even the most responsible companies (e.g. Google) can hold out 100% of the time in the face of determined assault by government. Some of that data is going to leak to three-letter agencies, or similar. Somewhat less responsible companies (e.g. Amazon) will leak data more often, to a wider range of thr…

That seems like an extreme perspective. Kind of like the tech version of abstinence only sex ed. Sure, it's the only 100% safe way, but it's not useful for most people. It doesn't weigh the benefits against the potential cons, or even take into consideration the actually likelihood of data being leaked.

Re: Amazon device recorded private conversation, sent it out to random contact

#376

Post by jacksmith21006 »

ocdtrekkie wrote: post #362
jacksmith21006 wrote: post #360

Not sure why people would be buying the Echo over the Google Home any longer? The GH offers a much better UX and now is well ahead of Alexa in sales last quarter. "Google takes top spot in global smart speaker market, HomePod nowhere to be found" https://appleinsider.com/articles/18/05/23/google-takes-top-... Came to the market 2 years later and already passed. This is before we even get Duplex. https://www.youtube.c…

Uh, dude, I know being a fan of Google is your thing here, but this was less than a year ago: http://money.cnn.com/2017/10/11/technology/google-home-mini-... And it's a flaw so bad they had to outright remove the button entirely, because they couldn't fix it without replacing the hardware. It's a little disingenuous to insinuate a bug with recording audio is a reason people shouldn't be buying company X's product ove…

Google quickly fixed the issue caused by the person putting it in the bathroom and causing the button to stick.

The person that it happened to got a pre-release version. Google even went to the persons house on a Friday evening to resolve. The person found the problem on the same day. None of the units sold to the general public had the issue. Realize Google literally dropped everything to take care of the issue. Now that is what you want to see.

The reason you buy a Google Home is because they provide a much better user experience and why Google has already passed Amazon even though they did not get to the market until 2 years later.

"Google takes top spot in global smart speaker market, HomePod nowhere to be found"

https://appleinsider.com/articles/18/05/23/google-takes-top-...

We started with an Echo and then purchased the Google Home and then several more Google Homes.

My son had graduation earlier this week at an arena that has a name that is difficult to pronounce. It is named after someone that gave a lot of money to the University.

There was also a MLB game that night that started 15 minutes later than the graduation.

Walking through the kitchen asked drive time thinking no problem as people are leaving the city usually not going to the city.

Google got it the first try and gave drive time which was 2x more than normal.

Google saved my butt as quickly got ready and left and would not have otherwise. Asking our Echo and Siri the same question and neither could handle.

That is why you buy the Google Home. Well also because of new things like Duplex coming.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bd1mEm2Fy08

Google is just so far ahead in every layer of the AI stack and just going to be able to provide a far superior product.

Re: Amazon device recorded private conversation, sent it out to random contact

#377

Post by djsumdog »

tejaswiy wrote: post #196
djsumdog wrote: post #182

I've told my roommate I'm moving out if he ever buys an Alex/Google/Apple assistant device. I have a microphone and I've been intending to get one of the open source solutions working and just tie it in to mpd, weather and a few other things. But all the processing should really be done on your own device, by hardware you own, software that's open and that you configure, and not send up to someone else's computer (ak…

Just out of curiosity - what open solutions are you referring to?

Mycroft https://github.com/MycroftAI

Jarvis https://github.com/alexylem/jarvis

Jasper https://jasperproject.github.io

there are others if you look around

Re: Amazon device recorded private conversation, sent it out to random contact

#378

Post by [deleted] »

kinsomo wrote: post #253
dustinmoorenet wrote: post #140

I have this idea of a system I would like to have in my house. It contains cameras in every room that are constantly watching where people are and relaying the coordinates to a central server. That server makes decisions on if lights should be on or if A/C should be running in that room. But I would never buy this system. I would have to make it myself. I am hopeful that open source software and hardware can produce…

> I have this idea of a system I would like to have in my house. It contains cameras in every room that are constantly watching where people are and relaying the coordinates to a central server. That server makes decisions on if lights should be on or if A/C should be running in that room. But I would never buy this system. I would have to make it myself. I am hopeful that open source software and hardware can produc…

[deleted]

Re: Amazon device recorded private conversation, sent it out to random contact

#379

Post by tfandango »

kinsomo wrote: post #253
dustinmoorenet wrote: post #140

I have this idea of a system I would like to have in my house. It contains cameras in every room that are constantly watching where people are and relaying the coordinates to a central server. That server makes decisions on if lights should be on or if A/C should be running in that room. But I would never buy this system. I would have to make it myself. I am hopeful that open source software and hardware can produce…

> I have this idea of a system I would like to have in my house. It contains cameras in every room that are constantly watching where people are and relaying the coordinates to a central server. That server makes decisions on if lights should be on or if A/C should be running in that room. But I would never buy this system. I would have to make it myself. I am hopeful that open source software and hardware can produc…

If you buy occupancy switches instead of vacancy switches, the light will stay on until you actually leave!

Re: Amazon device recorded private conversation, sent it out to random contact

#380

Post by spdustin »

tj-teej wrote: post #317
yason wrote: post #297

I am oversimplifying here but: * install device that is designed to listen to speech in the house * the device is connected to internet * the device is capable of contacting other internet peers/services/hosts * the device knows a bit about its owner's internet presence such as contacts * the device is equipped with simple conversational user interface based on fuzzy human speech-command detection These basically bou…

If you replace "fuzzy human speech-command detection" with "buttons which can accidentally be pressed" - how is this different from butt-dialing?

Simply: no one else is dialing via my butt.
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