Not sure of who most folk think of as "they", but my money is on Google.
Google owns, operates, and develops "Android", the operating system for a lot of cell phones. I have an Android "smart phone". I noticed one day that MY cell phone was turning the microphone on all by itself, and just sitting there... listening...
It had been listening for two and a half hours when I noticed it. I had previously disabled the "Google location services", but when I noticed it listening, I promptly de-Googled the phone entirely. It may no longer be a "smart phone", and in fact may now be a "dumb phone", but it does my bidding now instead of Googles bidding.
According to Alexander Graham Bell, phones are meant for talking into, not tracking you or acting as mini computers for trolling the interwebs. That's all mine is good for now, in accordance with Bell's intent, and tradition. It's a bit of a problem at times, as one MUST go through Googles "App store" to get programming for it (actual drone vendors cannot seem to spare the piddling bandwidth to download the apps, I reckon), and mine can no longer go to that store. As a consequence, I have 3 or 4 dead drones now, because I can no longer get the programs to watch the live video feed from them on my phone. There appears to be no other way to get said programs for the drones, which I find weird as they are not Google drones, but that's just the way it is.
So I'll buy no more drones, unless I can find one that will allow it's "app" to be side-loaded to my phone, without Google "assistance".
Grace has become paranoid, and no longer takes her phone to town, because Google kept telling her where she was, and thus annoying her. Google insisted it wanted her to take pictures of various locations she was at - which Google SHOULD have been utterly unaware of, much less want photos of, and we found that to be... creepy.
Facebook runs a close second. They've gone on a media blitz to convince us how safe our personal data is with them NOW, hoping we will forget that their stock in trade IS our data, which they collect with abandon, and are overly willing to sell to the highest bidder. Really? I've even notice a huge plurality of sites I visit on the interwebs now trying to "cross link" to Facebook - attempts which I block, but most folks are utterly unaware of.
Stealth collection of personal data is "safe" now?
Really?
Welcome to The Brave New World - consume at your own risk!
.
Google owns, operates, and develops "Android", the operating system for a lot of cell phones. I have an Android "smart phone". I noticed one day that MY cell phone was turning the microphone on all by itself, and just sitting there... listening...
It had been listening for two and a half hours when I noticed it. I had previously disabled the "Google location services", but when I noticed it listening, I promptly de-Googled the phone entirely. It may no longer be a "smart phone", and in fact may now be a "dumb phone", but it does my bidding now instead of Googles bidding.
According to Alexander Graham Bell, phones are meant for talking into, not tracking you or acting as mini computers for trolling the interwebs. That's all mine is good for now, in accordance with Bell's intent, and tradition. It's a bit of a problem at times, as one MUST go through Googles "App store" to get programming for it (actual drone vendors cannot seem to spare the piddling bandwidth to download the apps, I reckon), and mine can no longer go to that store. As a consequence, I have 3 or 4 dead drones now, because I can no longer get the programs to watch the live video feed from them on my phone. There appears to be no other way to get said programs for the drones, which I find weird as they are not Google drones, but that's just the way it is.
So I'll buy no more drones, unless I can find one that will allow it's "app" to be side-loaded to my phone, without Google "assistance".
Grace has become paranoid, and no longer takes her phone to town, because Google kept telling her where she was, and thus annoying her. Google insisted it wanted her to take pictures of various locations she was at - which Google SHOULD have been utterly unaware of, much less want photos of, and we found that to be... creepy.
Facebook runs a close second. They've gone on a media blitz to convince us how safe our personal data is with them NOW, hoping we will forget that their stock in trade IS our data, which they collect with abandon, and are overly willing to sell to the highest bidder. Really? I've even notice a huge plurality of sites I visit on the interwebs now trying to "cross link" to Facebook - attempts which I block, but most folks are utterly unaware of.
Stealth collection of personal data is "safe" now?
Really?
Welcome to The Brave New World - consume at your own risk!
.
Diogenes was eating bread and lentils for supper. He was seen by the philosopher Aristippus, who lived comfortably by flattering the king.
Said Aristippus, ‘If you would learn to be subservient to the king you would not have to live on lentils.’ Said Diogenes, ‘Learn to live on lentils and you will not have to be subservient to the king.’
Said Aristippus, ‘If you would learn to be subservient to the king you would not have to live on lentils.’ Said Diogenes, ‘Learn to live on lentils and you will not have to be subservient to the king.’