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Google chief: I'd disclose smart speakers before guests enter my home

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Re: Google chief: I'd disclose smart speakers before guests enter my home

#531

Post by velosol »

what_ever wrote: post #392
4140tm wrote: post #194

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Up until recently I couldn't actually do much with google maps on my phone because I have restricted it from using microphone. An error would pop up on every simple address lookup

I don't think your issue was related to microphone permission. I have never allowed the microphone permission to Google Maps and haven't faced any such issues. Disc: Googler.

The GP may also have had microphone and other permissions disabled for Google Play Services which can get cranky with fewer than full permissions.

Re: Google chief: I'd disclose smart speakers before guests enter my home

#532

Post by Buge »

TeMPOraL wrote: post #386
RhodesianHunter wrote: post #294

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're getting downvoted, but this is literally baked into the hardware.

Except when it isn't, or another "convenient" bug makes everything a hot word, turning the device into an always-recording Internet stream.

A "bug" in your phone could do the same.

Re: Google chief: I'd disclose smart speakers before guests enter my home

#533

Post by K0SM0S »

sdenton4 wrote: post #288
shadowgovt wrote: post #281

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It looks comfortable in the Star Trek universe because everyone trusts Starfleet and the ship's computer. I mean, if you don't trust the computer to look after your interests with regards to your voice interactions, why are you trusting it when it also controls life support and airlocks? ;)

Another classic SF example of a voice interface: "I'm sorry, Dave..."

But what's an AI, what's 'artificial', when does something become so if it's made by/of 'natural' things? Which reminds me of BSG, they have airlocks too.

Re: Google chief: I'd disclose smart speakers before guests enter my home

#534

Post by K0SM0S »

glitcher wrote: post #252
saluki wrote: post #115

I was a huge Google Fan but this is becoming lunacy. I understood trading some data and privacy for great search results, maps and free quality email. But people willingly bringing always on listening devices in to their homes (beyond what smartphones are already capable of) I just can't comprehend it. Why would people voluntarily do this in exchange for being able to ask for weather, play a playlist, add a todo and…

I blame Star Trek. Simply speaking out loud to ask the computer anytime something was needed, it seemed like magical tech. We just didn't anticipate the companies and extra consequences that would come along with it. I would love to see a parody of Star Trek where all the tech is run by an advertising company exploiting all the crew members individually by capturing all their private data around the clock.

That parody needs to happen on Ferenginar.

Re: Google chief: I'd disclose smart speakers before guests enter my home

#535

Post by nvrspyx »

indigochill wrote: post #405
nvrspyx wrote: post #161

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As I always do when this is suggested, I recommend using “!s” for Startpage instead of “!g” for Google. Similar to DDG, Startpage provides results in a privacy respecting way, but it uses Google instead of Bing (and Oath), which DDG uses. There’s a common misconception amongst some that using !g on DDG is private, but it’s just a redirect, so Google can gather information from that search. Using !s as the fallback in…

Awesome, I didn't actually know about that option. Will try that now instead. I do find the mention of DDG using Oath rather alarming, though, since Oath seems particularly obnoxious, at least with their GDPR pop-up on Tumblr. What does DDG do with Oath?

Let me correct myself: Oath (formerly Yahoo) and Bing. However, that's still not right. It's now Verizon Media (formerly Yahoo) and Bing, not Oath.

DDG was originally using Yahoo and Bing. Yahoo was thrown under the Oath umbrella along with AOL, Tumblr, Engadget, etc. when they were acquired by Verizon. I assume for transparency, DDG stated they use "Oath (formerly Yahoo) and Bing" on their Sources help page to indicate who they're actually making the deal with.[0] However, I guess Verizon has changed the Oath name to Verizon Media, so now it's "Verizon Media (formerly Yahoo) and Bing".

But, to answer your question. It's just a long winded way of saying Yahoo.

[0]: https://help.duckduckgo.com/duckduckgo-help-pages/results/so...

Re: Google chief: I'd disclose smart speakers before guests enter my home

#536

Post by rasz »

TeMPOraL wrote: post #360
xnyan wrote: post #342

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Posted elsewhere, but my A/C had a small leak and was slowly loosing efficiency. At peak heat it could not keep up, but I had no way of knowing that at work. My $99 Emerson Sensi messaged me that the cooling was not keeping up and there was a problem. I could turn off the unit remotely to prevent stress on the compressor and fixed the small leak well before I would have known without a internet enabled thermostat. I…

Messaging you requires at best only enough Internet access to send a message. It doesn't require all other functionality to be Internet dependent. Frankly, the way these IoT devices are designed to be just dumb terminals to some cloud on the other side of the world, it's just bad engineering, in service of anticonsumer business.

Perfect IoT device would include an internal scripting language (ideally standardized and easy to grasp, embedded python/js/lua etc) and API exposing all of gadgets hardware. This way user/owner/external service providers could supply their own script snippets implementing desired functionality. Aka general computing.

Imaging buying "smart light" thats actually smart enough to do what you want it to do.

Re: Google chief: I'd disclose smart speakers before guests enter my home

#537

Post by jjeaff »

authoritarian wrote: post #482
mey wrote: post #322

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I value privacy, my nest thermostat is the only IoT device in my house that talks to the internet or can be accessed remotely without a VPN. What I find most valuable is it programs itself. Am I cold? Turn it up a bit, hot? Turn it down a bit. Suddenly I have stopped having to adjust it at all. Even as life has changed. It has some nice other features, such as preheating/cooling, telling me how long it will take to g…

>What I find most valuable is it programs itself. Am I cold? Turn it up a bit, hot? Turn it down a bit. Suddenly I have stopped having to adjust it at all. Is that a problem most people have? I bought my house a few years ago and haven't touched my thermostat since I originally set it up years ago

Do you live alone? And are you or do live with a girl? Because when I was single, I never touched the thermostat. Now that I am, it has to be constantly adjusted.

Re: Google chief: I'd disclose smart speakers before guests enter my home

#538

Post by jjeaff »

groby_b wrote: post #419
nwalker85 wrote: post #393

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have kids. They forget to turn off lights, mess with my thermostat, leave doors unlocked. The peace of mind of being able to remotely check/access/control all of this is great.

Or you could spend time with your kids, educating them to actually function as adults. But I suppose conditioning them for life in a surveillance society does that job.

You obviously have very little experience with children if you think spending enough time with them will cause them to not to forget to turn out the lights.

Re: Google chief: I'd disclose smart speakers before guests enter my home

#539

Post by jjeaff »

205guy wrote: post #398
exclusiv wrote: post #344

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A programmable keypad is nice. I have a Z-wave one which can notify my Smarthings hub which notifies me when it's locked or unlocked. The Nest thermostat allows me to control the heat remotely. These two things are great for rental properties. Guests often forget to lock the door, I have records of when guests or maintenance people are coming or going, I can adjust the heat to 55 when nobody is there which saves a lo…

It sounds like you have short-term rental properties, aka unregulated hotels, or more accurately regulation-skirting residential businesses. In normal rentals, guests are called tenants, and in most places tenants have all the same privacy rights as property owners. Therefore, a landlord having access to or retaining any information about door usage or audio-video of the property would likely be illegal. Perhaps a ca…

It's sounds like you have little experience living anywhere except highly regulated, highly populated enclaves. Many places don't have regulations against things like Airbnb.

Re: Google chief: I'd disclose smart speakers before guests enter my home

#540

Post by jjeaff »

notJim wrote: post #402
exclusiv wrote: post #344

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A programmable keypad is nice. I have a Z-wave one which can notify my Smarthings hub which notifies me when it's locked or unlocked. The Nest thermostat allows me to control the heat remotely. These two things are great for rental properties. Guests often forget to lock the door, I have records of when guests or maintenance people are coming or going, I can adjust the heat to 55 when nobody is there which saves a lo…

Honestly all this monitoring and "busting" and "exposing" people for minor infractions sounds exhausting. Personally I have other things to spend my time on than surveilling people. Frankly it's kind of bleak to imagine you sitting around keeping an eye on your surveillance cameras and graphs to make sure no one is stepping out of line.

Sounds more like he just checks archived video when thing go awry. Like missing firewood, a trashed house, etc.
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