The House That Spied on Me

Discussion in 'privacy general' started by wshrugged, Feb 13, 2018.

  1. wshrugged

    wshrugged Registered Member

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    by Kashmir Hill and Surya Mattu

     
  2. trott3r

    trott3r Registered Member

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    Has anyone looked into blocking certain amazon addresses for example in the router for the echo?
     
  3. mirimir

    mirimir Registered Member

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    Yes, it's disturbing how these devices phone home. Part of it is collecting data to assess usage and for debugging. Plus data that they can sell. And partly it's to simplify remote user access from multiple devices. Because many ISPs don't allow servers on residential accounts, and because most users aren't up for configuring stuff. The company's servers can establish connections to devices, and users can access through them. But then, companies can see everything. It's a mess.
     
  4. Reality

    Reality Registered Member

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    That's precisely why I avoid like the plague anything with "smart" in front of it. This wholesale rape of peoples privacy WILL have consequences far more serious than the usual endless excuses like "it's to improve our products" or "give you a better experience" . People have to be in a seriously brain dead stupor not to have seen this freight train coming straight for them YEARS AGO. When companies can see "everything" and most people don't care, you know we're in serious trouble.
     
  5. zapjb

    zapjb Registered Member

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    It's worse than Orwell's 1984. Instead of others tattling on us, we tattle on ourselves. Partly because it's impossible to opt out entirely from pulling down your pants to do business let alone one's "private" life.
     
  6. RockLobster

    RockLobster Registered Member

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    It is class warfare, but nobody gets it.
     
  7. Rasheed187

    Rasheed187 Registered Member

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    Same over here, I can't believe that people are so dumb. The only thing I connect to the internet is my desktop, smartphone and laptop. It's a shame that even on these devices you're being spied on by the OS and apps.
     
  8. Peter2150

    Peter2150 Global Moderator

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    No one the question, but I block those sites with NoScript
     
  9. mirimir

    mirimir Registered Member

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    Not NoScript, I think. Or even firewalls running on PCs. Because the Echo doesn't connect through a PC, but directly through the router. So you'd need to block IPs there.
     
  10. wshrugged

    wshrugged Registered Member

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    Yep, it is a mess. I don't see a way out of it at this point. Customers seem to be accepting of this explicitly or because of choosing to not think of it at all. Even if/when an easy to use device/software becomes available for customers to monitor activity, a company, rightfully so, will strive to disallow decryption of their proprietary property.

    Eventually, 'smart' things will likely become the standard way things are available. One might have to pay a premium to get ‘stupid’ things, if they’re available at all.
     
  11. mirimir

    mirimir Registered Member

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    I do that already for computers, using just Core 2. And for cars, using pre-telemetry models.
     
  12. Reality

    Reality Registered Member

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    That's what I'm doing as well - whoever would've thought someone elses throwaway computer could be so valuable :)

    Why Core2's?
     
  13. mirimir

    mirimir Registered Member

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    Indeed. And they're inexpensive. Also relatively untraceable, if you buy at yard sales or swap meets, and pay cash.
    Pentiums would arguably be the safest. But they're too slow. Quad-core Core 2 are fast enough, and not that much slower than the i series. Back in the Core 2 era, Intel put its remote-access stuff in Xeons.
     
  14. Reality

    Reality Registered Member

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    Right, as in free in my case :). I do note both of mine are OK except a bit tardy on HD video. 720p OK.
     
  15. EASTER

    EASTER Registered Member

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    I COULD NOT AGREE MORE
     
  16. guest

    guest Guest

    This Simple Tool Will Reveal the Secret Life of Your Smart Home
    April 10, 2019
    https://gizmodo.com/this-simple-tool-will-reveal-the-secret-life-of-your-sm-1832264323
     
  17. zapjb

    zapjb Registered Member

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    Ugh. It only works on mac & all your info goes to Princeton for their "study".
     
  18. deBoetie

    deBoetie Registered Member

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    My name is Tim, my wife has a smartphone and has put fingerprint authentication on it.

    Is there hope?
     
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