8 ms·

I just dont have them in the house. Every now and then i get called paranoid. And sure, my phone can function the same (though i specifically have siri disabl

I just dont have them in the house. Every now and then i get called paranoid. And sure, my phone can function the same (though i specifically have siri disabled on our iphones) Its just a cost benefit. I can get off the couch and flip a switch or use a remote to turn on a song. I really dont need speach recognition for those functions.

ineedasername 6y ago
Many of the same benefits can be had without always-listening devices. You can control things from your phone. Or in my case, I usually have a pair of bluetooth earphones around my neck, I push a button and say something and that's all it listens to. The always-listening "okay google" can be disabled.
harha 6y ago
Absolutely agree that the convenience doesn’t make up for the downsides. I do think that some cases can be covered without putting data out in the wild with some third party. Siri and similar apps don’t do well with complex commands, but just fine with simple things (light switch, calendar entry, alarm) that an offline tool might also understand. Same goes for fitness trackers, note taking apps, etc. We as consumers should choose such alternatives. As developers and entrepreneurs we should try to enable these solutions, so we don’t have to rely on apps that might monetize differently than advertised or turn off when some company decides it’s not profitable enough. There’s also work being done on decentralizing analysis and monetizing your own data, but I’m not sure it’s ready yet.
ocdtrekkie 6y ago
I unplug my parents' Google wiretap device when I enter the house for holiday parties. For some reason my parents can both know that I know way more about this topic than them, and still totally disregard me and spend hundreds on Google hardware devices because they seem cool. \o/
- xparco 6y ago
  Your parents sound stupid
- kaishiro 6y ago
  Some people are perfectly comfortable giving up some privacy for convenience.
- deadmutex 6y ago
  This seems like a personal choice, and perhaps you can try to keep an open mind. Also consider the use case of your parents being alone and falling down and not being able to get up. They can just say 'ok Google, call ocdtrekkie' (if they have setup the device fully with contacts etc.). Disclaimer: I work for Google, but views are my own.
  - mehrdadn 6y ago
    I can't speak to the merits of the family relations, but telling people to "keep an open mind" to continuous monitoring is quite the ask. The right to privacy isn't some kind of pizza topping to be "open-minded" about just because some company happens to make a product that violates the norm. (And to be clear, my statement isn't isn't Google-specific in any way.)
    - vanviegen 6y ago
      What objective norm does this product violate? People should be free to share (or not share) their personal information any way they please. Is being "open-minded" about other people's choices in this regard so much to ask?
      - mehrdadn 6y ago
        > What objective norm does this product violate? Privacy. Also, traditionally, hosts go out of their way to help their guests feel welcome, not the other way around. > People should be free to share (or not share) their personal information any way they please. "Privacy" is about so much more than "personal information". Heck, it is irrelevant whether the conversation contains "personal information". It is also very clearly not only the hosts who are affected here. > Is being "open-minded" about other people's choices in this regard so much to ask? It can be when that implies collateral damage on your side.
IshKebab 6y ago
> Every now and then i get called paranoid. I mean, that is paranoid. You've even admitted it doesn't change your vulnerability.
WalterBright 6y ago
I just use "The Clapper".
WWLink 6y ago
To me the worst part is you don't need to have constantly-connected-to-the-internet voice recognition. It certainly wasn't a thing until recently. That's why I tend to think of it as an act of malice.

ineedasername 6y ago

Many of the same benefits can be had without always-listening devices. You can control things from your phone. Or in my case, I usually have a pair of bluetooth earphones around my neck, I push a button and say something and that's all it listens to. The always-listening "okay google" can be disabled.

harha 6y ago

Absolutely agree that the convenience doesn’t make up for the downsides. I do think that some cases can be covered without putting data out in the wild with some third party. Siri and similar apps don’t do well with complex commands, but just fine with simple things (light switch, calendar entry, alarm) that an offline tool might also understand. Same goes for fitness trackers, note taking apps, etc. We as consumers should choose such alternatives. As developers and entrepreneurs we should try to enable these solutions, so we don’t have to rely on apps that might monetize differently than advertised or turn off when some company decides it’s not profitable enough. There’s also work being done on decentralizing analysis and monetizing your own data, but I’m not sure it’s ready yet.

ocdtrekkie 6y ago

I unplug my parents' Google wiretap device when I enter the house for holiday parties. For some reason my parents can both know that I know way more about this topic than them, and still totally disregard me and spend hundreds on Google hardware devices because they seem cool. \o/

xparco 6y ago
Your parents sound stupid
kaishiro 6y ago
Some people are perfectly comfortable giving up some privacy for convenience.
deadmutex 6y ago
This seems like a personal choice, and perhaps you can try to keep an open mind. Also consider the use case of your parents being alone and falling down and not being able to get up. They can just say 'ok Google, call ocdtrekkie' (if they have setup the device fully with contacts etc.). Disclaimer: I work for Google, but views are my own.
- mehrdadn 6y ago
  I can't speak to the merits of the family relations, but telling people to "keep an open mind" to continuous monitoring is quite the ask. The right to privacy isn't some kind of pizza topping to be "open-minded" about just because some company happens to make a product that violates the norm. (And to be clear, my statement isn't isn't Google-specific in any way.)
  - vanviegen 6y ago
    What objective norm does this product violate? People should be free to share (or not share) their personal information any way they please. Is being "open-minded" about other people's choices in this regard so much to ask?
    - mehrdadn 6y ago
      > What objective norm does this product violate? Privacy. Also, traditionally, hosts go out of their way to help their guests feel welcome, not the other way around. > People should be free to share (or not share) their personal information any way they please. "Privacy" is about so much more than "personal information". Heck, it is irrelevant whether the conversation contains "personal information". It is also very clearly not only the hosts who are affected here. > Is being "open-minded" about other people's choices in this regard so much to ask? It can be when that implies collateral damage on your side.

IshKebab 6y ago

> Every now and then i get called paranoid. I mean, that is paranoid. You've even admitted it doesn't change your vulnerability.

WalterBright 6y ago

I just use "The Clapper".

WWLink 6y ago

To me the worst part is you don't need to have constantly-connected-to-the-internet voice recognition. It certainly wasn't a thing until recently. That's why I tend to think of it as an act of malice.