Alexa, Siri: Spies Who We Buy?

Discussion in 'Gadgets & Tech Talk' started by Martin Alonzo, Aug 21, 2018.

  1. Martin Alonzo

    Martin Alonzo Supreme Member
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    Google is tracking you. Even when you're in Airplane Mode
     
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  2. Chrissy Cross

    Chrissy Cross Supreme Member
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    I'm one of those people that even though I know they're probably tracking me ...I see evidence of it on what pops on in my FB feed in ads but I don't really care.

    Maybe if I was just starting out in my life with careers and jobs and all that I might but since I'm 67 and boring and they can track me all they want ...nothing exciting to see.

    Except that I sometimes watch movies with swear words in them and a sex scene or two, lol.

    I didn't watch the video...I seldom do...so hope my answer at least pertains somewhat to it.

    Why should I believe what someone posts on a video in the first place?
     
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  3. Cody Fousnaugh

    Cody Fousnaugh Supreme Member
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    I don't care either. We've got nothing to hide. "Track on Google!"
     
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  4. Holly Saunders

    Holly Saunders Supreme Member
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    Although my husband does his best to ensure we have lots of security in place on all our devices so we're relatively secure , but it's obvious we're going to be tracked by somehow by someone, somewhere...

    As long as my banking details are secure... I couldn't care less..like others I have nothing to hide!!
     
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  5. Babs Hunt

    Babs Hunt Supreme Member
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    I don't think it's possible to be on the internet, etc. these days without someone tracking you somehow no matter how good your security system, etc. is.
     
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  6. Ken Anderson

    Ken Anderson Senior Staff
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    I don't know about other countries but, here in the United States, we may have a lot of problems but overall, we have a lot more freedoms than people in many other countries, and there are things that we take for granted that we wouldn't have if not for people who cared about such things even when it didn't affect them personally. Those who sat back and said, "Oh, the British aren't so bad and I can afford the taxes anyhow," they were known as Tories and they weren't particularly helpful. We should care when something is wrong, whether or not it affects us personally, because eventually it will be something that affects you or someone you love.
     
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  7. Don Alaska

    Don Alaska Supreme Member
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    I don't think they said in the video what phones the were. If they were Google phones, I would expect them to gather info. If they were some other manufacturers phone with just the Google app, I would expect less tracking. I think they have Faraday cases for the phones that blocks the RFID and GPS access if you want to carry a smartphone and want more (but not complete) privacy. The Supreme Court decided we were entitled to privacy by the Constitution--that is what the "Roe v. Wade" decision is based upon. Obviously, if you have enough money and influence, you can ignore the Court and do what you wish. You may not think you have anything to hide, but if someone with nefarious intentions hacks into that data, and knows where you are, when your home is empty, etc., it might make you think differently. If you access your banking info or your investment accounts using your phone, be aware that Google knows that too.
     
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  8. Chrissy Cross

    Chrissy Cross Supreme Member
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    That's the beauty of it @Don Alaska ....I don't have much to even steal.

    So they hack my bank acct...even if it's tomorrow when my widows benefits are deposited...it's not the end of my world.

    It might be a pain in the butt having to cancel things but I'll survive.

    Nothing is in my name...everything is in a trust and has been since my husband died 14 yrs ago.
     
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    Last edited: Aug 21, 2018
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  9. Neville Telen

    Neville Telen Veteran Member
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    Unfortunately the problem goes far beyond this. Between the TLAs, corporate spooks, blackhatters, and assorted nosy-nellies, privacy is under attack from every front, and most are too short-sighted to care, or too lazy to resist. Those of the 'Ostrich Clan' prefer the 'hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil' approach, burying their head in the fallacy called 'Nothing to Hide':

    https://conseel.com/i-have-nothing-to-hide/
    https://www.reddit.com/r/privacy/wi...privacy_if_i_don.27t_have_anything_to_hide.3F
    https://www.aclu.org/blog/national-...ve-nothing-hide-you-still-have-something-fear

    I believe Edward Snowden answered this fallacy most succinctly "If you think privacy is unimportant for you because you have nothing to hide, you might as well say free speech is unimportant for you because you have nothing useful to say." Don't like Snowden?
    How about Glen Greenwald?
    "The old cliché is often mocked though basically true: there’s no reason to worry about surveillance if you have nothing to hide. That mindset creates the incentive to be as compliant and inconspicuous as possible: those who think that way decide it’s in their best interests to provide authorities with as little reason as possible to care about them. That’s accomplished by never stepping out of line. Those willing to live their lives that way will be indifferent to the loss of privacy because they feel that they lose nothing from it. Above all else, that’s what a Surveillance State does: it breeds fear of doing anything out of the ordinary by creating a class of meek citizens who know they are being constantly watched."
    Greenwald too liberal? How about some conservative viewpoints?

    https://www.politico.com/story/2013/10/privacy-is-a-conservative-cause-099137
    https://www.theamericanconservative...-surveillance-state-and-the-old-perjury-trap/
    https://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-b...illance-reform-is-one-issue-where-republicans

    Most seem unable to understand that privacy is the cornerstone of Liberty, which in turn is the foundation of Freedom....and Big Bro is the eventual assassin of all three. I can understand this idiocy among the youngsters (who always choose hindsight over foresight), but oldsters should know better. With age comes what I call the Futurists' Eye (the ability to discern patterns, and extrapolate their most likely results). It takes no Einstein to predict the final destination of Big Bro, but it does require removing ones head from the sand, which is far more effort than many seem willing to make.

    And for icing on this cake, here's a couple more little tidbits to consider:
    https://www.wired.com/2016/11/block-ultrasonic-signals-didnt-know-tracking/
    https://www.collective-evolution.com/2018/03/30/scientist-says-rfid-wont-be-optional-may-change-
    the-essence-of-what-it-means-to-be-human/
     
    #9
    Last edited: Sep 24, 2018
  10. Bill Boggs

    Bill Boggs Supreme Member
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    Hear! Hear!
     
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  11. Shirley Martin

    Shirley Martin Supreme Member
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    I agree with @Babs Hunt about this. The only way to avoid being tracked is not get on the internet at all. Do any of us want to do that? So, for someone who is computer dumb, what can we do to avoid being tracked? Identity theft?
     
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  12. Neville Telen

    Neville Telen Veteran Member
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    Security and privacy comes via layers of countermeasures, with the more you got, the safer you are, but much of it begins and ends with the OS. With Win10, there is very little that can be done, as this was created to make you the end product. I've seen some flotsam on various sites that purport to secure this OS, but I'm very cynical. Still this may get you started.
    Win10:
    https://www.techrepublic.com/articl...y-default-heres-how-you-can-protect-yourself/
    https://www.zdnet.com/article/take-control-of-your-privacy-in-windows-10/
    https://www.tevora.com/12-steps-increase-privacy-windows-10/
    https://pixelprivacy.com/resources/windows-privacy-settings/
    https://www.thewindowsclub.com/win-privacy-free-privacy-tool
    For Win8:
    https://www.infoworld.com/article/2...w-all-collecting-user-data-for-microsoft.html
    https://www.digitalcitizen.life/introducing-windows-81-how-improve-your-privacy-when-using-apps
    https://www.thewindowsclub.com/privacy-options-settings-windows
    For Win7:
    https://spreadprivacy.com/windows-7-privacy-tips/
    https://restoreprivacy.com/simple-privacy-guide/
    https://www.hackread.com/microsoft-updates-spy-on-windows7-8-users/
    https://windowsreport.com/windows-7-8-1-privacy-donotspy78/
    Beyond the OS, there are countermeasures to deploy at the browsers-level, such as tying your browser to a 'socks proxy', addons, etc. Beyond that there is use of a specific browser (Tor Browser bundle) joined to a VPN. There are other measures beyond that. At the highest level that I am aware of, there be dragons (Linux distros like TENS, Whonix, Qubes OS, and TAILS)! How far you want to take it depends on how far you want to take....and how far you can take it (i.e. your skill level).
     
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  13. Neville Telen

    Neville Telen Veteran Member
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    Exactly on point. People need to look beyond themselves, and consider what sort of country they would have for their children and grandchildren. Read (or re-read) '1984' and 'Brave New World'. Is a world where Big Bro is at the helm, and your progeny are 'glass citizens' really an acceptable outcome?
     
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  14. Tom Galty

    Tom Galty Veteran Member
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    Interesting with some your replies BUT

    On another topic I gave a link to AOL.co.uk (America on Line first browser I used in 1996)

    In a posters reply to my link that I gave she stated that they asked that she had to except cookies which would track her, standard message on visiting a new site if you are in the UK

    You click on any new site you get a message that they will put a cookie up that will track you.

    And all other EU sites do as well, a law was passed that consumers had to be told of this because it was standard practiced by ALL internet companies to track you before
    Even in America if you click on any American they can track you but I don't think you are told.

    Every couple of weeks. I use CCleaner to delete all thoses cookies.
     
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  15. Neville Telen

    Neville Telen Veteran Member
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    Just because you tick accept is no reason to keep their cookies. CCleaner, BleachBit, then the various browsers have settings to purge when it closes, and then the addons like Click&Clean 9.3.6.0 (for chrome/chromium-based browsers), plus I have Cookinator too. Plenty of options to use.
     
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