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Amazon Shuts Down Smart Home for a Week Over Racist Slur Claim
Newsweek ^ | 6/15/2023 | Newsweek

Posted on 06/16/2023 8:48:18 AM PDT by mikelets456

Amazon barred a Baltimore, Maryland-based user from its smart home features for a week over an allegation that his doorbell intercom had made a "racist remark" towards a delivery driver.

In an explanation of his experience on Medium, Brandon Jackson, an engineer at Microsoft, who is Black, said no one was home when the alleged slur was made and the incident had led him to question his use of Amazon products.

The tech giant has since restored access to his account, and said in a statement that it was working to prevent similar incidents from happening in future.

The occurrence highlights the growing number of household features and appliances that are becoming increasingly technologically advanced, and the potential pitfalls of an interconnected home.

(Excerpt) Read more at newsweek.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: amazon; artificialintel; baltimore; brandonjackson; free; maryland; medium; microsoft; newsweek; smarthome; soundslikebs; speech; sueamazon; technofascism; woke
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To: TexasGator

Well, I went back and read the whole article, and it’s still not entirely clear to me what actually happened.

We have these stupid Alexa things in our house, I want to throw them in the drink but hubby likes them for no reason.

Pretty sure recordings will be introduced at my trial for wrongthink. But I don’t mess around, I SAY IT ALL.

May the evil ones be damned.


41 posted on 06/16/2023 2:52:40 PM PDT by jocon307 (Democrats delenda est.)
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To: PAR35

I think the reason newer phones don’t have removable batteries is mainly greed: the battery wears out long before the phone itself stops working.

It’s planned obsolescence beyond what was previously achievable.


42 posted on 06/16/2023 4:03:27 PM PDT by powerset
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To: powerset

Even non-removable batteries can be replace. It’s not a self service item.


43 posted on 06/16/2023 4:06:54 PM PDT by PAR35
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To: TexasGator

My Model 12 Winchester which provides more comfort and safety than any electronic device ever could.


44 posted on 06/16/2023 4:19:20 PM PDT by Mr. Lucky
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To: FamiliarFace

“It wasn’t even a Ring doorbell, it was a Eufy. Plus the guy is a software engineer. I believe him, and I hope he sues Amazon. It’s the only way they’ll learn.”

If it was in the TOS and he agreed to it, he has no case....and he’s stupid...and it’s pretty funny. If it is not in the TOS that Amazon can “shut your house down arbitrarily”, I smell a Ka-ching lawsuit on the horizon.

One would really have to be a dumb@ss to agree to something like that. But for some reason, lefties seem to love being dominated and controlled like that (it’s probably a sexual thing).


45 posted on 06/16/2023 4:35:37 PM PDT by Danie_2023
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To: mikelets456

I refused to get a “smart” thermostat. I’ll be #%@&ed if I allow the utility to decide what temp I set my thermostat when the utility hits crunch time.


46 posted on 06/16/2023 7:03:25 PM PDT by Chgogal (Welcome to Fuhrer Biden's Weaponized Fascist Banana Republic! It's the road to hell.)
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Curious to see where AI goes on this front assuming it’s not tweaked to be politically correct.


47 posted on 06/16/2023 7:05:47 PM PDT by Gene Eric (Don't be a statist!)
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To: PAR35

Yeah, I know they can be replaced. There are even battery kits with tools available, but they are tricky to use. They usually require heat to soften the sealing glue, and then, if you don’t re-seal it correctly, the phone is no longer water resistant.

My current phone is a Kyocera E4810, a rugged, part-smart flip model that isn’t junk like the cheap flip phones, and isn’t as surveillance friendly as the usual smart-phone. Also, in spite of the fact that both its battery and 64 GB microSDXC (which I added) are easily replaceable, it stays water resistant. I think it has been discontinued (of course).


48 posted on 06/16/2023 11:12:53 PM PDT by powerset
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To: powerset

Just saw this interesting story out of Europe:

European Union votes to bring back replaceable phone batteries
https://www.techspot.com/news/99102-european-union-votes-bring-back-replaceable-phone-batteries.html


49 posted on 06/17/2023 7:01:12 AM PDT by PAR35
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To: Mr. Lucky

“My Model 12 Winchester which provides more comfort and safety than any electronic device ever could.”

The shotgun keeps you comfortable outside while you are guarding against intruders?


50 posted on 06/17/2023 8:55:41 AM PDT by TexasGator
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To: TexasGator

Inside, too.


51 posted on 06/17/2023 10:19:49 AM PDT by Mr. Lucky
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