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I don’t trust Google not to record every single thing I say and feed that into their advertising platform. For this reason I will probably wait and get a HomePo

I don’t trust Google not to record every single thing I say and feed that into their advertising platform. For this reason I will probably wait and get a HomePod... Downvoters: I presume you have evidence that Google won’t use your interactions with Google Assistant to better advertise to you?

deleted 9y ago
[deleted]
jkolem2 9y ago
They'll do it eventually. It's too tempting not to. First they have break the barrier by getting a physical presence. They can slowly get to their main objective by rolling it out piece by piece. (Most) People won't even see it happening. They are addicted to data because it pays and they're willing to do anything to get it. They dumped wireless data when doing Streetview photography even when they didn't have a reason. They captured location data from Android users without consent and secretly uploaded if later when they had connectivity. They have no credibility left in my opinion. Wait for super accurate per person voice recognition and imagine the profiles they'll build.... Better ask your friends before you visit their place to switch off the telescreen!
drngdds 9y ago
Well, do you have proof that Google/Apple/Nokia/etc. isn't already doing that with your phone? If you're going to be super distrustful of closed source stuff by companies with an interest in gathering user data and assume guilt before innocence is proven, that's fine. But you can't do it selectively!
- andy_ppp 9y ago
  The incentives for Apple to do this are relatively minimal and Google has a track record of hoovering up information on you to target advertising. Almost as if it’s their entire business...
  - synicalx 9y ago
    I'd say the incentives for Apple APPEAR minimal, but in reality you don't have any way of knowing what they're doing or plan on doing long term.
    - Angostura 9y ago
      Good enough. Occam's razor applies.
  - barake 9y ago
    Except Apple is ran by bean counters these days. I mean, they now have “enhanced” the terrible App Store search with terrible ads that regular people confuse with legitimate results. Heck, Face ID is the perfect ad technology. They can charge based on attentiveness now.
- saagarjha 9y ago
  Well, Google’s their business model actively encourages using this data for advertising or analytics.
- mcintyre1994 9y ago
  The difference is that these are powered by the mains and you wouldn’t see battery drain. With a phone they’d have to give up battery life - from my understanding more than any phone currently could give up and be usable - to be constantly listening. My phone is only really on power when I’m asleep, but this would always have power and be able to listen without me knowing. Not making accusations but I do think there’s a real difference between a microphone I’m always using and see and care about the battery drain of, and one plugged into the mains with no battery concerns.
shazow 9y ago
Google has been very open about everything they know about you and has done a great job at allowing you to control it: https://myaccount.google.com/dashboard https://myaccount.google.com/dashboard https://adssettings.google.com/ https://adssettings.google.com/ This is more than what any other company does. You can choose to trust another company. I choose to trust Google. (Disclaimer: I worked at Google several years ago, and my trust in the company has only increased after my time there.)
- andy_ppp 9y ago
  Wow, that’s awesome that I can turn off all the creepy features! They should put this button on the homepage ;-)
  - ucaetano 9y ago
    It is, "Privacy", bottom-right corner.
- jasonkostempski 9y ago
  "You can choose to trust another company." Voice recognition can and should only happen locally via open software, like keystrokes (which Google also thinks they have a right to), then no one has to be trusted.
synicalx 9y ago
I run on the assumption that anything and everything with a mic is probably recording me. If everything is or can listen to me, I may as well just take advantage of that where I can.
hota_mazi 9y ago
> Downvoters: I presume you have evidence that Google won’t use your interactions That's a shifting of burden of proof. Do you have evidence that HomePod won't be listening in on you and share your data with advertisers? I think you just happen to prefer Apple over Google. Nothing wrong with that, just be upfront with where that preference comes from.

deleted 9y ago

[deleted]

jkolem2 9y ago

They'll do it eventually. It's too tempting not to. First they have break the barrier by getting a physical presence. They can slowly get to their main objective by rolling it out piece by piece. (Most) People won't even see it happening. They are addicted to data because it pays and they're willing to do anything to get it. They dumped wireless data when doing Streetview photography even when they didn't have a reason. They captured location data from Android users without consent and secretly uploaded if later when they had connectivity. They have no credibility left in my opinion. Wait for super accurate per person voice recognition and imagine the profiles they'll build.... Better ask your friends before you visit their place to switch off the telescreen!

drngdds 9y ago

Well, do you have proof that Google/Apple/Nokia/etc. isn't already doing that with your phone? If you're going to be super distrustful of closed source stuff by companies with an interest in gathering user data and assume guilt before innocence is proven, that's fine. But you can't do it selectively!

andy_ppp 9y ago
The incentives for Apple to do this are relatively minimal and Google has a track record of hoovering up information on you to target advertising. Almost as if it’s their entire business...
- synicalx 9y ago
  I'd say the incentives for Apple APPEAR minimal, but in reality you don't have any way of knowing what they're doing or plan on doing long term.
  - Angostura 9y ago
    Good enough. Occam's razor applies.
- barake 9y ago
  Except Apple is ran by bean counters these days. I mean, they now have “enhanced” the terrible App Store search with terrible ads that regular people confuse with legitimate results. Heck, Face ID is the perfect ad technology. They can charge based on attentiveness now.
saagarjha 9y ago
Well, Google’s their business model actively encourages using this data for advertising or analytics.
mcintyre1994 9y ago
The difference is that these are powered by the mains and you wouldn’t see battery drain. With a phone they’d have to give up battery life - from my understanding more than any phone currently could give up and be usable - to be constantly listening. My phone is only really on power when I’m asleep, but this would always have power and be able to listen without me knowing. Not making accusations but I do think there’s a real difference between a microphone I’m always using and see and care about the battery drain of, and one plugged into the mains with no battery concerns.

shazow 9y ago

Google has been very open about everything they know about you and has done a great job at allowing you to control it: https://myaccount.google.com/dashboard https://myaccount.google.com/dashboard https://adssettings.google.com/ https://adssettings.google.com/ This is more than what any other company does. You can choose to trust another company. I choose to trust Google. (Disclaimer: I worked at Google several years ago, and my trust in the company has only increased after my time there.)

andy_ppp 9y ago
Wow, that’s awesome that I can turn off all the creepy features! They should put this button on the homepage ;-)
- ucaetano 9y ago
  It is, "Privacy", bottom-right corner.
jasonkostempski 9y ago
"You can choose to trust another company." Voice recognition can and should only happen locally via open software, like keystrokes (which Google also thinks they have a right to), then no one has to be trusted.

synicalx 9y ago

I run on the assumption that anything and everything with a mic is probably recording me. If everything is or can listen to me, I may as well just take advantage of that where I can.

hota_mazi 9y ago

> Downvoters: I presume you have evidence that Google won’t use your interactions That's a shifting of burden of proof. Do you have evidence that HomePod won't be listening in on you and share your data with advertisers? I think you just happen to prefer Apple over Google. Nothing wrong with that, just be upfront with where that preference comes from.