Alexa, are you connected to the CIA?

[d3500ram]

Alexa, are you connected to the CIA?
:?

[EsoxLucius]

kerrlakeroo wrote:
There is an old Patrick Henry quote that expresses the country more eloquently than I could
"Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."

Sorry, it was Ben Franklin.
https://www.lawfareblog.com/what-ben-franklin-really-said

[qtla9111]

Crabbypatty wrote:
In my opinion you can also add facebook to that. I don't believe that Zuckerberg did this on his own. The internet was developed and is owned by the US Government. Some genius figured that instead of searching for personal information, you can design a program where they give it to you everyday. Facebook. I will never have Alexa or similar device in my home. Buts its so comforting knowing that my smart TV is keeping an eye on me when Im watching. I feel so safe....

Even if it's not spying, local, state and federal agencies use FB to locate and identify suspects as well as human resources departments when applying for a job.

Funny that those saying they really don't care don't have their real names posted on their profiles. Hmm . . .

[DutchmenSport]

winnietrey wrote:

fj12ryder wrote:
Would you be creeped out if there was an actual person standing outside your window looking in? That's basically what you have with these devices, you just can't see them, but they're there.

Again it is not my intention to start a fight with anybody. But given your above statement what evidence do you have to support your statement.

Please supply articles and references that support your opinion.

Otherwise it is just your opinion, and it may be somewhat less than informed

I strangely suspect you will have some difficulty doing so

winnietetrey, Do you remember when this event event happened, and it was all over the news! Click here. FEB 18, 2010.

I think, after this event hit the new, the capability of business, companies, and government organizations went stealth. It's still happening, it's just done so "stealth" we don't realize it.

The company I work for has video capability on every computer and monitor we use. They CAN activate video at any time, (although they claim they do not). It has occurred many, many, many times that folks will be on a conference call, and fail to close their sessions in a timely manner and will continue their work after the call was over. Anyone left remaining on that call, can still see everything they are doing on their computer, and hear every sniffle, cough, and every word they mumble under their breath.

My company claims in it's Terms of Use and User policies, that we have to attest to every year that we have read, confirm, and agree to the policies, that no emails are private, are retained; that our internet usage IS tracked; that our computer usage IS monitored; that downloading unapproved software IS a violation and a termination offense; that the company does have the ability to monitor everything we do on our computers. It's not tin-foil, but I always keep black tape on company supplied laptop camera. I figure if I ever get corrected for that, then I know for an absolute FACT they are attempting to use it, otherwise how would they know it's covered? Considering I use my company laptop at home about 50% of my work time, yea..... I'm keeping that camera covered!

Really! If you (and I) have these devices in our homes, we really do need to think in terms of a total stranger (not standing outside our window), but standing right there in our living room with us .... watching and listening. Because, when you (and I) bring these devices into our homes, that is exactly what we've just done!

winnietetrey, you wanted something in writing as proof. The above linked article is one!

[Crabbypatty]

In my opinion you can also add facebook to that. I don't believe that Zuckerberg did this on his own. The internet was developed and is owned by the US Government. Some genius figured that instead of searching for personal information, you can design a program where they give it to you everyday. Facebook. I will never have Alexa or similar device in my home. Buts its so comforting knowing that my smart TV is keeping an eye on me when Im watching. I feel so safe....

[winnietrey]

Lord,I hate Brussels sprouts as well. Although the DW loves them, so at times I am forced to eat them.

I do not agree with you, but I respect your opinion and wish you the best

[fj12ryder]

winnietrey wrote:
Your life, your choice, fj12, Still waiting for research and articles to support your position

I suspect, I will be waiting quite some time.

That said, I am in favor of however, you wish to live, not my place to judge,

Geeze people, it's my OPINION. Do you know what an opinion is? I don't have to support it with anything. I don't care if you don't agree! I am merely saying that I don't like Peeping Toms and eavesdroppers. It's my opinion that devices like these are both of those.

I don't like Brussels sprouts either, do I need supporting research and articles for you to allow me to not like Brussels sprouts?

It's my opinion. Don't like it? I don't really care. You know why? Because it's my opinion.

I never made any outstanding claims about anything other than these devices listen, and they do, since they'd be worthless if they didn't. And anyone with the necessary skill can direct a webcam, and have done so. Look it up.

If you want to use these devices that is certainly your privilege, please allow me the privilege of not using them. And for my own reasons: I. DON"T. LIKE. THEM. Just like Brussels sprouts. Except Brussels sprouts are plain nasty, these things just creep me out.

[Searching_Ut]

I do find it troubling how many folks are monitoring and tracking virtually everything I do, from eating habits, travel habits, television and internet browsing tracking, association matrix's of who I meet with etc. How much adding Alexa into the mix adds to this data mining is probably insignificant given everything they can already do. Of course any security threat posed by Alexa already exists if you have a cell phone. There are good reasons they won't let us take a cell phone through the door of an even moderately secure building.

[westernrvparkow]

fj12ryder wrote:

winnietrey wrote:

fj12ryder wrote:
Would you be creeped out if there was an actual person standing outside your window looking in? That's basically what you have with these devices, you just can't see them, but they're there.

Again it is not my intention to start a fight with anybody. But given your above statement what evidence do you have to support your statement.

Please supply articles and references that support your opinion.

Otherwise it is just your opinion, and it may be somewhat less than informed

I strangely suspect you will have some difficulty doing so

Please reread my statement. I'm saying that it is listening all the time. If it isn't listening all the time it won't answer when you ask a question, right?

Cameras on the IoT can be accessed by people who know how and want to spy on people. That has been done. There was an article not long ago about the IoT being used for DoS attacks.

Many privacy advocates are extremely ambivalent about these types of devices. I'm not, I just don't like the idea. So sue me.

An Alexa machine is not listening to your every spoken word. It activates and responds to a key phrase. It is just like the remote control for your television. The remote isn't tracking your every movement, it only responds when you push the correct buttons.
And I still haven't gotten an answer as to why anyone would want to spy on you thru your computer's camera, even if they could. Like I previously posted, the biggest reason people aren't spying on you right now is because they have no interest in watching you, not because it is difficult to do.

[fj12ryder]

winnietrey wrote:

fj12ryder wrote:
Would you be creeped out if there was an actual person standing outside your window looking in? That's basically what you have with these devices, you just can't see them, but they're there.

Again it is not my intention to start a fight with anybody. But given your above statement what evidence do you have to support your statement.

Please supply articles and references that support your opinion.

Otherwise it is just your opinion, and it may be somewhat less than informed

I strangely suspect you will have some difficulty doing so

Please reread my statement. I'm saying that it is listening all the time. If it isn't listening all the time it won't answer when you ask a question, right?

Cameras on the IoT can be accessed by people who know how and want to spy on people. That has been done. There was an article not long ago about the IoT being used for DoS attacks.

Many privacy advocates are extremely ambivalent about these types of devices. I'm not, I just don't like the idea. So sue me.

[winnietrey]

fj12ryder wrote:
Would you be creeped out if there was an actual person standing outside your window looking in? That's basically what you have with these devices, you just can't see them, but they're there.

Again it is not my intention to start a fight with anybody. But given your above statement what evidence do you have to support your statement.

Please supply articles and references that support your opinion.

Otherwise it is just your opinion, and it may be somewhat less than informed

I strangely suspect you will have some difficulty doing so

[fj12ryder]

westernrvparkowner wrote:

fj12ryder wrote:

westernrvparkowner wrote:

fj12ryder wrote:
Hey, as long as it doesn't bother you to have that guy standing at your open window listening and watching you, no issues. Personally it bugs the heck out of me. I'm not fond of Peeping Toms.

I can watch, record, film and track you very easily and legally. With Telephoto lenses, parabolic microphones, spotting scopes and the like, I don't need the internet. As long as I don't step onto your property, it is all perfectly legal. What stops that from happening is two fold. One, there aren't that many perverts out there, and two, you aren't that interesting.

How do you legally manage that without a court order, and/or probable cause? And how do you manage that when the doors are closed, the window shades are down, and the television is on interfering with your parabolic mic? Hmm?

Interesting has nothing to do with it, I just hate Peeping Toms, electronic or otherwise.

You said your hypothetical peeping tom was watching you thru an open window. No court order is needed to sit in your living room and point your spotting scope into your neighbors front windows. You stop those type of intrusions by closing the windows, pulling the shades, not sitting in front of an open window naked.
If you truly don't want people to know where you shop, what you read and what you eat, don't throw out your trash, because once it is out of your hands it becomes available to everyone. Even without the internet you have to take steps to maintain whatever level of privacy you wish to achieve. You do the same thing with the internet. Don't let things you don't want to be seen get posted in the first place.

Yeah, I can't figure out if you're being purposely obtuse, or really are dense, and at this point I simply don't care.

[westernrvparkow]

fj12ryder wrote:

westernrvparkowner wrote:

fj12ryder wrote:
Hey, as long as it doesn't bother you to have that guy standing at your open window listening and watching you, no issues. Personally it bugs the heck out of me. I'm not fond of Peeping Toms.

I can watch, record, film and track you very easily and legally. With Telephoto lenses, parabolic microphones, spotting scopes and the like, I don't need the internet. As long as I don't step onto your property, it is all perfectly legal. What stops that from happening is two fold. One, there aren't that many perverts out there, and two, you aren't that interesting.

How do you legally manage that without a court order, and/or probable cause? And how do you manage that when the doors are closed, the window shades are down, and the television is on interfering with your parabolic mic? Hmm?

Interesting has nothing to do with it, I just hate Peeping Toms, electronic or otherwise.

You said your hypothetical peeping tom was watching you thru an open window. No court order is needed to sit in your living room and point your spotting scope into your neighbors front windows. You stop those type of intrusions by closing the windows, pulling the shades, not sitting in front of an open window naked.
If you truly don't want people to know where you shop, what you read and what you eat, don't throw out your trash, because once it is out of your hands it becomes available to everyone. Even without the internet you have to take steps to maintain whatever level of privacy you wish to achieve. You do the same thing with the internet. Don't let things you don't want to be seen get posted in the first place.

[fj12ryder]

westernrvparkowner wrote:

fj12ryder wrote:
Hey, as long as it doesn't bother you to have that guy standing at your open window listening and watching you, no issues. Personally it bugs the heck out of me. I'm not fond of Peeping Toms.

I can watch, record, film and track you very easily and legally. With Telephoto lenses, parabolic microphones, spotting scopes and the like, I don't need the internet. As long as I don't step onto your property, it is all perfectly legal. What stops that from happening is two fold. One, there aren't that many perverts out there, and two, you aren't that interesting.

How do you legally manage that without a court order, and/or probable cause? And how do you manage that when the doors are closed, the window shades are down, and the television is on interfering with your parabolic mic? Hmm?

Interesting has nothing to do with it, I just hate Peeping Toms, electronic or otherwise.

[winnietrey]

Kind of comes down to how each of us, perceive the risk benefit ratio. I for one, receive in my mind, great benefit from Alexia, and feel the risk to be pretty minimal. Others would have that ratio reversed in their mind.

Not up to me to judge, to each his own. But I will say, we sure enjoy the selection of music, thing can play any song you can think of.

And I don't see it mentioned but you can turn the mic off, or just unplug the thing if you have concerns, that Alexia is listening when you don't want it to.

Should add I guess, my conclusions are due in large part, to two friends I have that are big guns at Microsoft, Deal with the cloud and servers like this all day long. They have the Alexia devices at home and they also state, risk is pretty minimal

[westernrvparkow]

fj12ryder wrote:
Hey, as long as it doesn't bother you to have that guy standing at your open window listening and watching you, no issues. Personally it bugs the heck out of me. I'm not fond of Peeping Toms.

I can watch, record, film and track you very easily and legally. With Telephoto lenses, parabolic microphones, spotting scopes and the like, I don't need the internet. As long as I don't step onto your property, it is all perfectly legal. What stops that from happening is two fold. One, there aren't that many perverts out there, and two, you aren't that interesting.