re: Facebook Is Patenting Technology to Spy on You Through Your Smartphone

quote:

---

Is Google Home recording all of my conversations?

No. Google Home listens in short (a few seconds) snippets for the hotword. Those snippets are deleted if the hotword is not detected, and none of that information leaves your device until the hotword is heard. When Google Home detects that you've said "Ok Google" or “Hey Google”, or that you've physically long pressed the top of your Google Home device, the LEDs on top of the device light up to tell you that recording is happening, Google Home records what you say, and sends that recording (including the few-second hotword recording) to Google in order to fulfill your request. You can delete these recordings through My Activity anytime.

---

No worries... it's just listening short snippets for your to say "OK Google". Short snippets being, one after the other, all the time...

at least Alexa sits around and waits for "acoustic patterns" that sound like "Alexa" before recording... right?

quote:

---

Is Alexa recording all my conversations? No. By default, Echo devices are designed to detect only your chosen wake word (Alexa, Amazon, Computer, or Echo). The device detects the wake word by identifying acoustic patterns that match the wake word. No audio is stored or sent to the cloud unless the device detects the wake word (or Alexa is activated by pressing a button).

---

There are apps that you can literally walk up to someone and snap a pic of them and then it searches the net for facial recognition of instagram, facebook, etc. for related pics and background.

See somebody that pissed you off, snap a pic and get their facebook page. IS there some hot chick you want to stalk? Way easier now.

quote:

---

3. A patent that would track your weekly routine. It might also use your phone's location in the middle of the night to try to determine where you live (or at least sleep).

---

This already happens. My phone tells me how long to get to the gym and home everyday after work. I've never asked it to do either,

quote:

---

at least Alexa sits around and waits for "acoustic patterns" that sound like "Alexa" before recording... right?

---

You don't actually believe that right? You have to always be listening to catch the "alexa" trigger

quote:

---

It gives me the option to turn all of this off if I want.

---

The average user is not going to know how to turn it off. Most of these settings are buried pretty deep.

Think I’ll delete the app and just post and scroll on Facebook from a laptop

Honestly this will help me not look at it so much.

quote:

---

The average user is not going to know how to turn it off. Most of these settings are buried pretty deep.

---

Also, can you actually trust these companies not to do this because you set an option? All that's going to do is make them hide it from you better.

quote:

---

These new patents are way beyond intrusive.

---

Read your privacy agreement. None of it is happening now.

DP

In Londontown a man was paid to relay important news and warn of raids and call men and women of the village to festivals. He provided a service and the villagers rewarded him with a few shillings.

The King sensing an opportunity took over the payment of the town crier, so that the village service now included a few things important to the crown.

The crier sensing an opportunity began to extort the King as he had the ear of the villagers.

And very soon, the crier barked out the things that were important to him and the crown allowed it as long as the status quo was maintained.

Now, the town crier forces himself upon the crowds and they have to pay to get some quiet, and the crown dare not withdraw support as an idle crowd is a dangerous proposition.