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The article omits a real, serious source of microphone data though: your smart TV. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that my TV (a Toshiba Fire TV, although I’m
by hammock 1y ago
The article omits a real, serious source of microphone data though: your smart TV. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that my TV (a Toshiba Fire TV, although I’m sure many do it) is listening to every conversation I have within earshot, even when I am not using the voice remote, and selling it to ad networks.
And of course it is also doing screen recognition (the kind of stuff OP article mentions), but that is not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about microphone data picking up live conversation from people in the room.
- shermantanktop 1y agoBeyond a shadow of a doubt? Can you describe what you’ve experienced?
- walterbell 1y agoPrivacy-seeking users have physically removed microphones from phones. This should also be possible with laptops and televisions. If Toshiba Fire TV is related to Amazon Fire TV, then it may include Alexa for voice recognition, which could be optionally disabled. In theory, Alexa is only activated after on-device recognition of the configured wake word.
- dyauspitr 1y agoRemoved microphones from… phones? How do you use the phone then?
- detaro 1y agoMost things people use phones for nowadays don't need a microphone. And in the rare case you do, you plug in/connect a headset.
- walterbell 1y agoHeadset.
- api 1y agoI am suspicious of all “smart” devices, much more so than phones because phones have a lot more scrutiny on them. If your smart toaster, light bulb, or fridge was listening to you, would anyone even notice? Does anyone examine these devices in depth?
- userbinator 1y agoWho would even want a microphone in a TV? It's like that old Soviet Russia joke, except it's not a joke.
- afiori 1y agoAnother source of audio data is the accelerometer, which often has laxer permissions