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Please forgive my tone, but it doesn't take a genius to recognize that you shouldn't have sensitive conversations around a microphone. Most of the things this

Please forgive my tone, but it doesn't take a genius to recognize that you shouldn't have sensitive conversations around a microphone. Most of the things this appliance does are similar to the ones accomplished by a cell phone or computer. And like those things, the microphone works best when the device is connected to a power source. When it comes down to it, we are all compromised, and it's just a question of what you are comfortable with. Some people choose not to use electricity at home, and yet they go on living. Your choices are your own, and of the billions of people you should take pride in your individuality and be comfortable in your choices.

lostgame 7y ago
>> Please forgive my tone, but it doesn't take a genius to recognize that you shouldn't have sensitive conversations around a microphone. Then, forgive my tone, but it doesn’t take a genius to understand that you don’t want one constantly monitoring you in your home. Where you have private conversations. This is my point. These devices are physical spyware - they’re as useful and terrible as Bonzi Buddy but people pay for it.
lostgame 7y ago
To add, I’ve actually opened up my 2011 MacBook Pro and physically removed the wire connecting the microphone and video camera from the device. I use TOR, for everything. Even basic browsing. I’ll take the performance hit any day. I also disable JS on 90% of sites I visit. I’ve stayed at an iPhone 6S that I could jailbreak to observe outgoing and incoming network information and block IPs where necessary, and redirect to TOR in the background. I don’t keep Android devices and let all of my friends know about all the serious security risks involved, and beg them to at least get a refurbished iPhone instead. I have friends in the psychedelic scene who literally text each other openly about LSD like total idiots when Signal is free. I have friends who have ended up in prison, not even jail, from this kind of shit. I talk about psychedelics, I talk about occultism, I talk about revolutionary political ideas, and I talk about private details like my sex life, comfortably, at home, as do many, many of my friends. Having one of these devices in their home alone could be a ticket to jail or prison for them. You’re telling me there are advantages for this shit? Because you can turn your lights on without having to grab your phone, or, God forbid, stand up and go flick a light switch, it’s worth it to have corporations listening in to all your shit? You’ve obviously never had to watch a best friend dragged off by police due to getting nabbed by information grabbed through technology. Good for you! Have a cookie. Some people are involved in progressing society beyond its pathetic, self destructive status-quo, to move the world forward, and we need privacy to do that. If you wanna live your little work, wife, and kids life, where you’d never be concerned about a single thing you say while your Echo is around, go for it. Myself? I actually intend to change the world while I’m on it. So no, I’m not alright with anyone listening in to what I’m doing.
- closetohome 7y ago
  That's...very thorough of you.
  - lostgame 7y ago
    I can’t afford to take any chances.
- goodpoint 7y ago
  > I’ve stayed at an iPhone 6S that I could jailbreak to observe outgoing and incoming network information and block IPs where necessary, and redirect to TOR in the background. Do not redirect traffic from applications that have not been designed for Tor into the Tor network! They can leak all sort of data making it even worse than non-Tor traffic. (BTW it's written Tor)
eeZah7Ux 7y ago
> it doesn't take a genius to recognize that you shouldn't have sensitive conversations around a microphone Stop this. You are putting blame on the end user for failing to understand complex security and privacy issues. Also, this is an incorrect understanding of network economies and society. "it doesn't take a genius" to carefully check a car for safety features, like having brakes. Yet there are regulations to protect car buyers. Without the intervention of regulators we would not have safety belts and airbags. Same for building safety. Food safety and so on. The same goes for privacy. In a world where any device in your home has cameras and microphone it becomes impossible for a lone individual to push back. You need a whole society to do that.

lostgame 7y ago

>> Please forgive my tone, but it doesn't take a genius to recognize that you shouldn't have sensitive conversations around a microphone. Then, forgive my tone, but it doesn’t take a genius to understand that you don’t want one constantly monitoring you in your home. Where you have private conversations. This is my point. These devices are physical spyware - they’re as useful and terrible as Bonzi Buddy but people pay for it.

lostgame 7y ago

To add, I’ve actually opened up my 2011 MacBook Pro and physically removed the wire connecting the microphone and video camera from the device. I use TOR, for everything. Even basic browsing. I’ll take the performance hit any day. I also disable JS on 90% of sites I visit. I’ve stayed at an iPhone 6S that I could jailbreak to observe outgoing and incoming network information and block IPs where necessary, and redirect to TOR in the background. I don’t keep Android devices and let all of my friends know about all the serious security risks involved, and beg them to at least get a refurbished iPhone instead. I have friends in the psychedelic scene who literally text each other openly about LSD like total idiots when Signal is free. I have friends who have ended up in prison, not even jail, from this kind of shit. I talk about psychedelics, I talk about occultism, I talk about revolutionary political ideas, and I talk about private details like my sex life, comfortably, at home, as do many, many of my friends. Having one of these devices in their home alone could be a ticket to jail or prison for them. You’re telling me there are advantages for this shit? Because you can turn your lights on without having to grab your phone, or, God forbid, stand up and go flick a light switch, it’s worth it to have corporations listening in to all your shit? You’ve obviously never had to watch a best friend dragged off by police due to getting nabbed by information grabbed through technology. Good for you! Have a cookie. Some people are involved in progressing society beyond its pathetic, self destructive status-quo, to move the world forward, and we need privacy to do that. If you wanna live your little work, wife, and kids life, where you’d never be concerned about a single thing you say while your Echo is around, go for it. Myself? I actually intend to change the world while I’m on it. So no, I’m not alright with anyone listening in to what I’m doing.

closetohome 7y ago
That's...very thorough of you.
- lostgame 7y ago
  I can’t afford to take any chances.
goodpoint 7y ago
> I’ve stayed at an iPhone 6S that I could jailbreak to observe outgoing and incoming network information and block IPs where necessary, and redirect to TOR in the background. Do not redirect traffic from applications that have not been designed for Tor into the Tor network! They can leak all sort of data making it even worse than non-Tor traffic. (BTW it's written Tor)

eeZah7Ux 7y ago

> it doesn't take a genius to recognize that you shouldn't have sensitive conversations around a microphone Stop this. You are putting blame on the end user for failing to understand complex security and privacy issues. Also, this is an incorrect understanding of network economies and society. "it doesn't take a genius" to carefully check a car for safety features, like having brakes. Yet there are regulations to protect car buyers. Without the intervention of regulators we would not have safety belts and airbags. Same for building safety. Food safety and so on. The same goes for privacy. In a world where any device in your home has cameras and microphone it becomes impossible for a lone individual to push back. You need a whole society to do that.