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Sounds like you'd want this, but for it to truly work, you could also end up suffering. For example: > A GPS spoofer that will occasionally tell my phone that

Sounds like you'd want this, but for it to truly work, you could also end up suffering. For example: > A GPS spoofer that will occasionally tell my phone that I am visiting places I don't. Sure, but the next time you want to see your Google Maps history, you'll question your own sanity. > some kind of speech synthesizer which mimics my voice and sends engineered requests to Alexa while I'm not around. Sure, but then you're liable for everything your spoofer says if it truly isn't distinguishable from your own voice. If it is distinguishable, then it defeats the purpose of hiding your true behavior in the first place.

jMyles 7y ago
> Sure, but then you're liable for everything your spoofer says if it truly isn't distinguishable from your own voice. Liable in what sense? What kind of liability are you thinking about here?
- new_guy 7y ago
  The next time you or your spoofer jokes about blowing up a Mosque or you commit an illegal act. Alexa will call the cops on you. All of Alexa's requests are monitored for keywords, it's pretty much the most amazing surveillance system ever. Here's one example https://vt.co/news/us/amazon-alexa-calls-911-after-hearing-man-allegedly-beating-girlfriend/ https://vt.co/news/us/amazon-alexa-calls-911-after-hearing-m...
  - cjsawyer 7y ago
    That article says that he told it “did you call the sherifs?” ...then it called the sherif.
yorwba 7y ago
> Sure, but the next time you want to see your Google Maps history, you'll question your own sanity. Indeed I'd question my sanity, as I can usually remember roughly where I've been yesterday and don't see much use in looking up where I'd been a year ago. Of course I might be missing out on something, since I don't use Google Maps at all. (I prefer OpenStreetMap.) In what kind of situation is being able to look up one's own location history actually useful?
- tcoff91 7y ago
  The major use-case IMO is for alibis if you get wrongly accused of a crime.
  - Geeflow 7y ago
    I once had a legal use for my location history that wasn't quite as dramatic. Someone damaged our car while it was parked. When the police asked at what time we arrived, I just pulled up my location history. I was a bit frustrated when the police wrote down "around 8" instead of 8:14. :)
- anonytrary 7y ago
  > In what kind of situation is being able to look up one's own location history actually useful? 1. Remembering the name of a restaurant you went to two weeks ago. 2. Tracing your steps to look for something you might have lost. 3. Proving you were somewhere at a certain time. 4. Documenting a trip you took in the past. The more personal information you generate, the more technology can help you. But if that information is tarnished or does not exist, then so too are the insights and benefits.
  - jdnenej 7y ago
    And in the many years I have had a smartphone I have never once had a reason to look up my location history.
    - anonytrary 7y ago
      You're a single data point, so I'm not sure what your conclusion could even be.
      - jdnenej 7y ago
        That android should not be by default tracking every user and sending a of that data to google since most users aren't aware it is even happening and most users have no use for this data. They know where they have been.
bloaf 7y ago
>Sure, but then you're liable for everything your spoofer says I've actually wondered about the potential for this as performance art. Spoof some peoples voices, and have a bunch of Alexas read the script to some kind of play to each other. The play, of course, worded in such a way to trigger some Alexa's "report to law enforcement" features.

jMyles 7y ago

> Sure, but then you're liable for everything your spoofer says if it truly isn't distinguishable from your own voice. Liable in what sense? What kind of liability are you thinking about here?

new_guy 7y ago
The next time you or your spoofer jokes about blowing up a Mosque or you commit an illegal act. Alexa will call the cops on you. All of Alexa's requests are monitored for keywords, it's pretty much the most amazing surveillance system ever. Here's one example https://vt.co/news/us/amazon-alexa-calls-911-after-hearing-man-allegedly-beating-girlfriend/ https://vt.co/news/us/amazon-alexa-calls-911-after-hearing-m...
- cjsawyer 7y ago
  That article says that he told it “did you call the sherifs?” ...then it called the sherif.

yorwba 7y ago

> Sure, but the next time you want to see your Google Maps history, you'll question your own sanity. Indeed I'd question my sanity, as I can usually remember roughly where I've been yesterday and don't see much use in looking up where I'd been a year ago. Of course I might be missing out on something, since I don't use Google Maps at all. (I prefer OpenStreetMap.) In what kind of situation is being able to look up one's own location history actually useful?

tcoff91 7y ago
The major use-case IMO is for alibis if you get wrongly accused of a crime.
- Geeflow 7y ago
  I once had a legal use for my location history that wasn't quite as dramatic. Someone damaged our car while it was parked. When the police asked at what time we arrived, I just pulled up my location history. I was a bit frustrated when the police wrote down "around 8" instead of 8:14. :)
anonytrary 7y ago
> In what kind of situation is being able to look up one's own location history actually useful? 1. Remembering the name of a restaurant you went to two weeks ago. 2. Tracing your steps to look for something you might have lost. 3. Proving you were somewhere at a certain time. 4. Documenting a trip you took in the past. The more personal information you generate, the more technology can help you. But if that information is tarnished or does not exist, then so too are the insights and benefits.
- jdnenej 7y ago
  And in the many years I have had a smartphone I have never once had a reason to look up my location history.
  - anonytrary 7y ago
    You're a single data point, so I'm not sure what your conclusion could even be.
    - jdnenej 7y ago
      That android should not be by default tracking every user and sending a of that data to google since most users aren't aware it is even happening and most users have no use for this data. They know where they have been.

bloaf 7y ago

>Sure, but then you're liable for everything your spoofer says I've actually wondered about the potential for this as performance art. Spoof some peoples voices, and have a bunch of Alexas read the script to some kind of play to each other. The play, of course, worded in such a way to trigger some Alexa's "report to law enforcement" features.