General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsSilicon Valley Is Listening to Your Most Intimate Moments
Having been in IT and tech, this was what I expected. I never imagined that so many people would easily allow "Big Brother" into their homes like this. You would think it would be a forced, authoritarian measure like China's surveillance systems and social credits.
I have to admit, it was a brilliant move and great marketing though. Alexis knows. Since our government is not so hot on regulating things currently, the sky is the limit. Have fun wondering what your device is doing. I mean, it's capitalism, right?
Oh, and no thanks. I really don't have any interest in participating. I am just fine with the online tracking that I take steps to avoid when possible.
"Alexa! Send yourself back!"
How the worlds biggest companies got millions of people to let temps analyze some very sensitive recordings.
<snip>
Former contractors describe the system as something out of the Tower of Babel or George Orwells 1984. At a GlobeTech office near an airport in Cork, Ireland, some say, they sat in silence at MacBooks wearing headphones, tasked with transcribing 1,300 clips a day, each of which could be a single sentence or an entire conversation. (This quota was reduced from as many as 2,500 clips, others say, to improve accuracy rates.) When a contractor clicked play on a voice recording, the computer filled a text box with the words it thought Siri heard, then prompted the worker to approve or correct the translation and move on. GlobeTech didnt respond to requests for comment.
A program the workers used, called CrowdCollect, included buttons to skip recordings for a variety of reasonsaccidental trigger, missing audio, wrong languagebut contractors say there was no specific mechanism to report or delete offensive or inappropriate audio, such as drunk-sounding users slurring demands into the mics or people dictating sexts. Contractors who asked managers whether they could skip overly private clips were told no clips were too private. They were expected to transcribe anything that came in. Contractors often lasted only a couple of months, and training on privacy issues was minimal. One former contractor who had no qualms about the work says listening in on real-world users was absolutely hilarious.
<snip>
The fine print grants Amazon the right to retain and experiment on its voice clips far beyond what Apple does with Siri. By default, the company retains recordings indefinitely. Amazon discloses few specifics on how this data is used, except to say its human transcriptions have proved an enormous advantage in translating Alexa into new languages around the world and expanding its response capabilities.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2019-12-11/silicon-valley-got-millions-to-let-siri-and-alexa-listen-in
5X
(3,971 posts)i even physically disconnected the camera and microphone on my laptop.
i worked in it for 25 years, don't trust anything or anybody.
abqtommy
(14,118 posts)Merlot
(9,696 posts)I've gone through all the settings, can't find out out to get rid of the mic on my Air.
I've taped over the camera, at least that was easy.
5X
(3,971 posts)This is on a Asus laptop, but can do it on most non-apple products.
edit to add: i am disassembling them to do this.
Talitha
(6,476 posts)Covered the camera with duct tape, and plugged the microphone hole with 'blue tack.' I don't trust those devices either... TBH, they creep me out.
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,267 posts)Still, it's creepy to think she could be watching if I ever were to have intimate moments, which is unlikely.
Newest Reality
(12,712 posts)Yeah, that's probably how mine would be if I had one. It would probably tell me I am not very interesting to listen to and suggest a video on how to, or something.
It really should be creepy. I think that, "Oh, cool, it hears me and talks back and gives me information and orders things for me, so it must be good." is a product of a conditioned, consumer mentality that has been in progress since Edward Bernays. How long did it take for some people to realize that it was not so much about them using Facebook, but more about Facebook using them, (and other similar services). In that case, if you are not paying for it, (in the capitalist model, at least) you are the product, and that comes with a guarantee.
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,267 posts)Merlot
(9,696 posts)The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,267 posts)All I ever do that Alexa can watch me doing is watching tv or posting on DU.
rusty fender
(3,428 posts)Dont scratch yourself there, Dave.
cwydro
(51,308 posts)I have a radio for music, tv for entertainment, my phone plays my audible books. I make grocery lists with a pen and paper.
I guess someone knows my taste in books, but theres nothing to see there lol.
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,267 posts)But all those things - radios, tvs, phones - are gadgets. You don't need a radio for music, you can sing or play an instrument. You don't need a tv for entertainment, you can go to plays. You don't need a smartphone, a mega-gadget if there ever was one, for audible books, you can just hire someone to read to you. It all depends on what you want your gadgets to do. Arguably we don't need any of them, but we have them and we like them. I don't want a smart refrigerator or a smart toilet, but they exist.
defacto7
(13,485 posts)sl8
(13,584 posts)This is the 3rd post I've seen in the past few days that referred to either silicon or silicone, but yours is the only one that used the correct word. One of the others referred to Silicone Valley and one expressed a preference for silicon dildos. Granted, the latter one could be intentional, but from the context, I don't think so.
Oh, +1 for substance, too.
Newest Reality
(12,712 posts)That was an informative observation and amusing.