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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

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.
themacguffinman 6y ago
It's clear that your parents have different values from you regardless of what you tell them, an obvious point that seems to be lost on many commentators in this thread who perpetually oscillate between "you don't know what you're doing!" and "how could you use such a device?!"
- ocdtrekkie 6y ago
  The problem isn't different values, it's that non-technical users aren't able to make informed consent, they don't understand how they're being harmed.
  - dantheman 6y ago
    How are they being harmed?
  - parineum 6y ago
    So instead of informing them you just unplug the devices or you did inform them, they don't agree with you, and now you take it upon yourself to do what's best for them because they just don't understand.
    - ocdtrekkie 6y ago
      When attempting to inform them of real world events has them treat you like you're a UFO nut... I take it upon myself to do what's best for me. They're free to use whatever they want when I'm not there, but I'm not going to be in the house with the blasted thing.
  - themacguffinman 6y ago
    How convenient. They still don't agree after you've evidently informed them? "Am I so out of touch? No, it's the parents who are wrong" /s
comboy 6y ago
Just a friendly outside view that maybe it's their house and you could just assume you are talking in a public space if that fits your worldview. Otherwise you may not want to talk to them on the phone if they are using android phones and should ban them from discussing anything you talked about while you were there after you're gone and they plug devices back in.
oxguy3 6y ago
You don't have to be a tech genius to comprehend that putting a microphone in your house comes with privacy concerns. Your parents aren't idiots; they just have different priorities than you. Side note: If a houseguest came over and unplugged my Google Home without asking, they would not be invited back.
- ocdtrekkie 6y ago
  I'm happy to not be invited back to houses with Google surveillance hardware. My parents are aware they have that option.

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.

themacguffinman 6y ago

It's clear that your parents have different values from you regardless of what you tell them, an obvious point that seems to be lost on many commentators in this thread who perpetually oscillate between "you don't know what you're doing!" and "how could you use such a device?!"

ocdtrekkie 6y ago
The problem isn't different values, it's that non-technical users aren't able to make informed consent, they don't understand how they're being harmed.
- dantheman 6y ago
  How are they being harmed?
- parineum 6y ago
  So instead of informing them you just unplug the devices or you did inform them, they don't agree with you, and now you take it upon yourself to do what's best for them because they just don't understand.
  - ocdtrekkie 6y ago
    When attempting to inform them of real world events has them treat you like you're a UFO nut... I take it upon myself to do what's best for me. They're free to use whatever they want when I'm not there, but I'm not going to be in the house with the blasted thing.
- themacguffinman 6y ago
  How convenient. They still don't agree after you've evidently informed them? "Am I so out of touch? No, it's the parents who are wrong" /s

comboy 6y ago

Just a friendly outside view that maybe it's their house and you could just assume you are talking in a public space if that fits your worldview. Otherwise you may not want to talk to them on the phone if they are using android phones and should ban them from discussing anything you talked about while you were there after you're gone and they plug devices back in.

oxguy3 6y ago

You don't have to be a tech genius to comprehend that putting a microphone in your house comes with privacy concerns. Your parents aren't idiots; they just have different priorities than you. Side note: If a houseguest came over and unplugged my Google Home without asking, they would not be invited back.

ocdtrekkie 6y ago
I'm happy to not be invited back to houses with Google surveillance hardware. My parents are aware they have that option.