4 ms·

>Alexa and those amazon devices are hardly a model of privacy How so?

by mrlala 7y ago

keeganpoppen 7y ago
hmm maybe the part where it's an always-on microphone in your home?
krageon 7y ago
Uploads all of your speech to a company centered in one of the more privacy-hostile regimes, is strictly for-profit, has a set of policies subject to change at any time, policies are hard to read and therefore difficult to track changes in, unclear when the microphone is truly on and uploading. The list actually goes on but I feel like you get the idea.
- kmlx 7y ago
  "one of the more privacy-hostile regimes" i assume you're referring to the West/EU/USA here. i share your skepticism, especially around the EU's own GDPR. "government agencies and law enforcement", as well as "activities under the scope of Chapter 2, Title V of the Treaty on European Union" are exempted from GDPR.
  - krageon 7y ago
    I am referring to the US. I have never received any actual proof that the theoretical separation of a datacenter from the mother US-based company will make it immune from the US' draconian surveillance laws, therefore I should assume that it's not trustworthy. Given past experience, I think this is a reasonable stance to take. The GDPR isn't very topical here, because big conglomerates have been violating it since it's inception. Until the teeth have been enforced, we have to assume that a US company is not only shovelling all of your data to every government agency (which would happen even with the GDPR being followed, as you say) that blinks at them a few times but is also selling it to every marketing agency that is capable of paying.
    - LinuxBender 7y ago
      I agree and can somewhat chime in. I am not a lawyer. I have spoken to folks that would be involved if we receive an NSL. We would obey the NSL regardless of GDPR. For standard legal requests, I am not sure of the current status of what we would do. AFAIK no U.S. company will risk disobeying the gag order and compliance aspects of a national security letter.

>Alexa and those amazon devices are hardly a model of privacy How so?

by mrlala 7y ago

>Alexa and those amazon devices are hardly a model of privacy How so?

keeganpoppen 7y ago

hmm maybe the part where it's an always-on microphone in your home?

krageon 7y ago

Uploads all of your speech to a company centered in one of the more privacy-hostile regimes, is strictly for-profit, has a set of policies subject to change at any time, policies are hard to read and therefore difficult to track changes in, unclear when the microphone is truly on and uploading. The list actually goes on but I feel like you get the idea.

kmlx 7y ago
"one of the more privacy-hostile regimes" i assume you're referring to the West/EU/USA here. i share your skepticism, especially around the EU's own GDPR. "government agencies and law enforcement", as well as "activities under the scope of Chapter 2, Title V of the Treaty on European Union" are exempted from GDPR.
- krageon 7y ago
  I am referring to the US. I have never received any actual proof that the theoretical separation of a datacenter from the mother US-based company will make it immune from the US' draconian surveillance laws, therefore I should assume that it's not trustworthy. Given past experience, I think this is a reasonable stance to take. The GDPR isn't very topical here, because big conglomerates have been violating it since it's inception. Until the teeth have been enforced, we have to assume that a US company is not only shovelling all of your data to every government agency (which would happen even with the GDPR being followed, as you say) that blinks at them a few times but is also selling it to every marketing agency that is capable of paying.
  - LinuxBender 7y ago
    I agree and can somewhat chime in. I am not a lawyer. I have spoken to folks that would be involved if we receive an NSL. We would obey the NSL regardless of GDPR. For standard legal requests, I am not sure of the current status of what we would do. AFAIK no U.S. company will risk disobeying the gag order and compliance aspects of a national security letter.