6 ms·

The article just want you to believe that 'The Chinese' would want to put a microphone with 5G into your toaster. So that they could listen to YOU through the

The article just want you to believe that 'The Chinese' would want to put a microphone with 5G into your toaster. So that they could listen to YOU through the said toaster, because whatever shit you said near the toaster is obviously very important to the Chinese. Is there a more moronic idea? If someone were to listen to you, wouldn't it be easier to say... do it through the phone?

elindbe2 6y ago
I don't know about you, but I have very sensitive conversations with my self--out loud--while making toast.
- mydongle 6y ago
  I too engage in classified discussions regarding geopolitics and military operations while making toast.
  - johnchristopher 6y ago
    The enemy would rather you to have conversations about private matters they can blackmail you with though (or any piece of information that would help them find out how to help you tip to their side).
    - 8note 6y ago
      They're going to find out you eat Dijon mustard, disqualifying you from running for president
  - imesh 6y ago
    I don't. But I imagine I would if it was my job.
  - thephyber 6y ago
    I dislike this kind of thinking in security -- it is a very 19th century. The reason we only think about state security in the context of "geopolitics and military operations" is because that's all we hear about and that's probably all that nation-states used to be able to resource. But with cloud + machine learning + sufficient sensors, the old assumptions about resource scarcity for security intelligence collection is flipped. It used to take a few "James Bond" agents, a few "Q" engineers, and a large support staff to work one case at a time. That scarcity calculus is completely different now. Instead of "1 civilian to every 300 police officers", new data collection feels more like "300 police officers to every 1 civilian". The only thing that stops any sufficiently large organization from collecting dossiers on every person on Earth is "complexity versus competence".
    - TeMPOraL 6y ago
      Agreed. So to me, it's just a matter of time - with the data advertisers already have, it would only take getting that data in the same room with a few smart spooks, and you'd have something to act on to police thinking, if your government was so inclined.
eth0up 6y ago
You could consider the subject through the perspective of, say, David Petraeus: https://www.wired.com/2012/03/petraeus-tv-remote/ https://www.wired.com/2012/03/petraeus-tv-remote/
true_religion 6y ago
Putting a microphone in the kitchen is probably one of the best ways to spy on people in their homes. The kitchen is a natural gathering place, and spot for conversations. And if I thought someone was spying on me, I would check the inside of my toaster last.
- thephyber 6y ago
  > And if I thought someone was spying on me, I would check the inside of my toaster last. I assume that organizations that spy for a living learn from their previous mistakes and the natural selection effect means that the obvious places to plant bugs are skipped.
- TeMPOraL 6y ago
  Speaking of fun ways to hide surveillance equipment: if you're looking for hidden cameras in your home, check the lightbulbs.
sandworm101 6y ago
>> because whatever shit you said near the toaster is obviously very important to the Chinese. Amazon and google think it important enough. The line between comercial utility and national security is blurry at best. Whould the chinese be interested in how many people were chatting about a paticular presidential candidate during breakfast? Whould that candidiate be interested? And yes, some normaly everyday people do say things that are more direct\ly interesting to China. Anyone here in the military? Anyone here with family in the military? Anyone here work for a company that does work for the military? Big-net intelligence collection is a real thing.
mirimir 6y ago
> So that they could listen to YOU through the said toaster, because whatever shit you said near the toaster is obviously very important to the Chinese. Sure. But maybe they'd care a lot about some tiny percentage of toaster talkers. And they likely know how to find it.
manicdee 6y ago
Look at this guy who doesn’t understand social engineering and deep faking. Or maybe you are the CCP counter intelligence office? But then again why would anyone want to deep fake millions of people in a democratic country?

elindbe2 6y ago

I don't know about you, but I have very sensitive conversations with my self--out loud--while making toast.

mydongle 6y ago
I too engage in classified discussions regarding geopolitics and military operations while making toast.
- johnchristopher 6y ago
  The enemy would rather you to have conversations about private matters they can blackmail you with though (or any piece of information that would help them find out how to help you tip to their side).
  - 8note 6y ago
    They're going to find out you eat Dijon mustard, disqualifying you from running for president
- imesh 6y ago
  I don't. But I imagine I would if it was my job.
- thephyber 6y ago
  I dislike this kind of thinking in security -- it is a very 19th century. The reason we only think about state security in the context of "geopolitics and military operations" is because that's all we hear about and that's probably all that nation-states used to be able to resource. But with cloud + machine learning + sufficient sensors, the old assumptions about resource scarcity for security intelligence collection is flipped. It used to take a few "James Bond" agents, a few "Q" engineers, and a large support staff to work one case at a time. That scarcity calculus is completely different now. Instead of "1 civilian to every 300 police officers", new data collection feels more like "300 police officers to every 1 civilian". The only thing that stops any sufficiently large organization from collecting dossiers on every person on Earth is "complexity versus competence".
  - TeMPOraL 6y ago
    Agreed. So to me, it's just a matter of time - with the data advertisers already have, it would only take getting that data in the same room with a few smart spooks, and you'd have something to act on to police thinking, if your government was so inclined.

eth0up 6y ago

You could consider the subject through the perspective of, say, David Petraeus: https://www.wired.com/2012/03/petraeus-tv-remote/ https://www.wired.com/2012/03/petraeus-tv-remote/

true_religion 6y ago

Putting a microphone in the kitchen is probably one of the best ways to spy on people in their homes. The kitchen is a natural gathering place, and spot for conversations. And if I thought someone was spying on me, I would check the inside of my toaster last.

thephyber 6y ago
> And if I thought someone was spying on me, I would check the inside of my toaster last. I assume that organizations that spy for a living learn from their previous mistakes and the natural selection effect means that the obvious places to plant bugs are skipped.
TeMPOraL 6y ago
Speaking of fun ways to hide surveillance equipment: if you're looking for hidden cameras in your home, check the lightbulbs.

sandworm101 6y ago

>> because whatever shit you said near the toaster is obviously very important to the Chinese. Amazon and google think it important enough. The line between comercial utility and national security is blurry at best. Whould the chinese be interested in how many people were chatting about a paticular presidential candidate during breakfast? Whould that candidiate be interested? And yes, some normaly everyday people do say things that are more direct\ly interesting to China. Anyone here in the military? Anyone here with family in the military? Anyone here work for a company that does work for the military? Big-net intelligence collection is a real thing.

mirimir 6y ago

> So that they could listen to YOU through the said toaster, because whatever shit you said near the toaster is obviously very important to the Chinese. Sure. But maybe they'd care a lot about some tiny percentage of toaster talkers. And they likely know how to find it.

manicdee 6y ago

Look at this guy who doesn’t understand social engineering and deep faking. Or maybe you are the CCP counter intelligence office? But then again why would anyone want to deep fake millions of people in a democratic country?