Want to freak out? Think about Amazon Echo and Total Information Awareness

[blake2012]

I know all of you have been plugged in to the issues of privacy for quite some time. Remember Poindexter’s TIA after 9/11 during Bush’s military and surveillance free for all?

To be clear, there was a ton of push back and US Congress removes funding. But oh my lord that did not stop them. They farmed out major parts of these programs to other federal agencies and private enterprises as well as research universities.

With surveillance cameras everywhere we look, ID’s online and offline tied together to crest dossiers, why would we give the government even more access to our every word?

Mark Zuckerberg and most savvy privacy individuals put covers over their laptop cameras. What keeps Google or Amazon or others from cooperating with the government to share this “predictive analysis” or be compelled to provide it?

Theoretically, if you have hit a certain threshold based on analytics, your dossier could be flagged for exception and a human analyst given the rights to investigate you further. They could listen to your family’s conversations. There’s no tape to cover the all-hearing speaker. Unplug it? Backup battery inside. Scary stuff.

Then again, I suppose they could do the same with your cell phone if you have one.

The home listening devices are a bridge too far more me.

What are your thoughts?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_Information_Awareness

[PoliticAverse]

1. Most everyone is carrying a "personal tracking device" (aka cellphone) around now.

Smart phones all have cameras and microphones in them.

If you install an app on your phone that has access to the phone's location info the app can be tracking you with your (implicit) consent.

[blake2012]

2. Exactly. Is there a way to defeat some of this?

Especially cell phones. But unlike Echo’s you have not given explicit rights for the device to be in a constant listening and recording mode, right?

It is truly sad/scary. With AI, TIA, and Boston Laboratories freakish collection of robotic workers/warriors we are about at Skynet/Terminator territory.

[hlthe2b]

3. I cover the camera on my laptop (after deactivating), won't buy an internet tv and will forego

the home echo and other related devices for now.

I know a lot of people no longer seem to care, but I do. I still value my privacy.

[blake2012]

5. It would be great to see how to defeat all of the technology on our devices so we have more control

But if you look up “how to deactivate cell phone camera and microphone” your score for being flagged probably goes up.

[MineralMan]

12. Imagine how your "score for flagging" must go up after posting

a thread on this. Booga-booga!

[blake2012]

14. Yep. Delayed effect once web crawlers pick it up.

[MineralMan]

15. LOL!

Better watch out, I'm thinking...yes, indeed...

[dembotoz]

4. not like we have not been warned...watch the cops shows and they are always tracking somebody

i know tv is not reality but the get the tech info from somewhere

[blake2012]

6. Exactly. They have not just face recognition but gait recognition

Additionally, we enjoy all the language translation software constantly being refined by user feedback on Facebook and other platforms, but that started with NSA and others wanting real time ability to scan computers and communication in many languages but then translate to English for US human intelligence analysts.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

7. Actually most of the TV cop show tech is made up.

Whenever you see them "enhancing" an image, for instance (if an image is blurry/pixelated/out of focus/et al, you can not make it clearer with any sort of software). Total garbage. Most of it is just made up tech to move along a plot line.

[blake2012]

9. Some is bogus.quite a bit is not.

The tech in big blockbusters like MI and 007 franchises are usually ahead of what’s available on the market but consumer and law enforcement tech usually catches up.

As an aside, you can do computer generated enhancement of pixels on a not quite clear digital image.

https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/132950-csi-style-super-resolution-image-enlargment-yeeaaaah

[GeorgeGist]

11. The examples given are laughable.

[blake2012]

13. Gait recognition. It is a thing. Was in MI movie

Same with biometric scans, etc. you would be scared shitless by what law enfrcement and intelligence agencies have.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

16. That link is ridiculous. Slight enhancements of a blurry or pixelated image is nothing

like the bullshit they do in cop shows (which, BTW, 007 and MI are NOT cop TV shows, they are action films).

If the image is pixelated beyond recognition, there is NO software that will create new pixels to make it visible. 100% impossible. If the data isn't there, then it isn't there.

[blake2012]

19. I agree with you in that

Just pointing out how real the premise is for quit a bit of the tech they show in TV and movies.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

20. But that link proved my point.

That most of that tech on TV is made up. Cop procedural dramas would be WAY more boring if they were reality based. All that tech is a trope to move the plot along. Some of it MAY be based SOMEWHAT in fact, but the vast majority is absolute bullshit.

Reminds me of all the people who liked the CSI shows then signed up for forensics courses and realized that it's NOTHING like what happens on TV.

[blake2012]

21. Ok. You win. Jesus Christ.

[TwistOneUp]

32. If the data isn't there

If the data isn't there, you make it up and BS the (typically) low-tech jurors into believing you'e fscking Merlin and they *must never doubt the evidence*.

Many big name periodicals have run analyses of CSI-type "evidence" supplied by so-called "experts" at trial and found it to be bogus, causing innocent peeps to be found guilty.

[Clarity2]

8. I dont do echo, etc

My brother works in the tech industry, and deals with wifi controlled alarm systems, and “the internet of things”. And my father’s business was in security systems. My brother wont even use a wifi controlled device like echo, wifi thermostats, alarm system, etc.

I also cover my tablet camera with tape, dont have my microphone enabled for any apps, and my cell is only on when Im traveling. No cam on my desktop either. I dont have anything to hide and could care less about the govt reading my emails, but I do care about hacking and someone stealing personal info.

[blake2012]

10. Yes, I so wish we had more control of this area of our lives

[LeftInTX]

17. I'm in my car waiting for lunch.

I've got my map open cuz I'm going to a new place after I eat. Google tracks me.

[blake2012]

22. Remember maps?! 😀

[MineralMan]

27. Sure. I used to have a road atlas in my car.

Now, I can type in any address, and see the route to it or listen for voice instructions to get there. If I take a wrong turn, I get directed back on track to my destination. As long as my phone is charged and in range of a cell tower, I'm good.

So, yes, I remember maps. I also remember not being able to zoom in on them or switch to satellite view to figure out which entrance was the best choice for me at the destination.

Does someone know where I am? I doubt it. I'm not very interesting, really. On the other hand, if I have an accident, it's very good that someone will know my location, I think.

Technology is always a mixed blessing and curse. Fortunately, it can also be turned off and on as needed.

[blake2012]

28. I us Apples map program all the time.

I also like looking at maps or Atlas to get overall awareness of my journey when going on trips. Also, I live in Bay Area so I use map program to see which routes are fastest on a given day.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

18. I'm not going to freak out or get too paranoid about it. That being said...

....the concept of Alexa still rubs me the wrong way for some unknown reason and I refuse to use the one my in-laws got us for Christmas. FWIW.

[NCTraveler]

23. The fight between true benefits to life and society by evolving technology....

and the intrusiveness of said technology has been around for a long time. It's not going anywhere. As identity protections are put in place for one old technology, another manifests itself in newer technology. The rapid advance of these technologies has left us in a place of caveat emptor when it comes to staying up to date.

"The home listening devices are a bridge too far more me. "

They have been in homes for a long time. That "bridge too far" was built decades ago.

[blake2012]

24. Do you mean bugs?

[NCTraveler]

25. No.

Though they have been around for some time. I'm talking standard every day technology.

[blake2012]

26. What are some examples of consumer products as overtly permitted

Listening devices in homes for decades?

[LanternWaste]

30. You certainly moved the goal posts further out quickly on that one

You certainly moved the goal posts further out quickly on that one with additional qualifiers not mentioned prior.

The important thing though, is your rejection of a product based on emotion rather than objective evidence. Never lose that conviction... it's adorable.

[blake2012]

31. No, the point of my original post was clear

I get it we are surrounded by tech but here is a device you are openly installing knowing it will be listening g to what you say at all times and archiving much of it in server farms as it builds a profile on you whilst listening to your command to play a Rage Against The Machine song (ironic, no?)

[TwistOneUp]

29. I bought an early Amazon Echo...

And a week lafer, unplugged it. That was when it first debuted. It hasn't been powered up since...

[eShirl]

33. When the first Amazon Echo ad came out, I thought it was dystopian satire.

Now I know it's not satire.