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How Google and Amazon are 'spying' on you
Consumer Watchdog ^

Posted on 10/07/2021 9:57:38 AM PDT by cuz1961

Patent applications from Amazon and Google revealed how their Alexa and Voice Assistant powered smart speakers are 'spying' on you. ... It says patents reveal the devices' possible use as surveillance equipment for massive information collection and intrusive digital advertising.

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How Google and Amazon are ‘spying’ on you Original Source URL http://www.infosurhoy.com/cocoon/saii/xhtml/en_GB/science/how-google-and-amazon… You would be forgiven for thinking that your private conversations were just that, but two leading voice assistants are listening to everything you say, a new report claims.

Patent applications from Amazon and Google revealed how their Alexa and Voice Assistant powered smart speakers are ‘spying’ on you.

The study warns of an Orwellian future in which the gadgets eavesdrop on everything from confidential conversations to your toilet flushing habits.

Future versions of gadgets like the Echo and Home will use this data to try and sell you products, it says.

The findings were published in a report created by Santa Monica, California based advocacy group Consumer Watchdog.

It says patents reveal the devices’ possible use as surveillance equipment for massive information collection and intrusive digital advertising.

The study found that digital assistants can be ‘awake’ even when users think they aren’t listening.

The digital assistants are supposed to react only when they hear a so-called ‘wakeword.’

For Amazon’s Echo it’s ‘Alexa’ and for Google Home it’s ‘OK, Google.’

In fact, the devices listen all the time they are turned on – and Amazon has envisioned Alexa using that information to build profiles on anyone in the room to sell them goods.

Amazon filed a patent application for an algorithm that would let future versions of the device identify statements of interest, such as ‘I love skiing’, enabling the speaker to be monitored based on their interests and targeted for related advertising.

A Google patent application describes using a future release of it smart Home system to monitor and control everything from screen time and hygiene habits, to meal and travel schedules and other activities.

The devices are envisioned as part of a surveillance web in the home to chart a families’ patterns so that they can more easily be marketed to based on their interests.

John Simpson, Consumer Watchdog’s privacy and technology project director, said: ‘Google and Amazon executives want you to think that Google Home and Amazon Echo are there to help you out at the sound of your voice.

‘In fact, they’re all about snooping on you and your family in your home and gathering as much information on your activities as possible.

‘You might find them useful sometimes, but think about what you’re revealing about yourself and your family, and how that information might be used in the future.

‘Instead of charging you for these surveillance devices, Google and Amazon should be paying you to take one into your home.’

MailOnline contacted both Amazon and Google for a comment, but had yet to receive a response at the time of publication.

Google and Amazon appear most interested in using the data they get by snooping on your daily life to target advertising, Consumer Watchdog said.

However, when that information is compiled others could access it.

For example, home insurers and utility companies have already made deals with Nest to put smart devices in their customers’ homes.

Law enforcement is already seeking information from smart devices.

An Amazon Echo made headlines last year when US police investigating a murder sought to subpoena recordings made by the device.

Investigators in the same case also managed to obtain data from a smart water meter that suggested that the crime scene had been hosed down before police arrived.

Hackers and identity thieves are also likely to be able to access the data compiled by Google and Amazons snooping, the report warns.

This is not the first time that the voice search function has landed Google in hot water in recent months.

In November, MailOnline received a number of transcripts of conversations that show how Voice Assistant may be recording your conversations without you knowing.

The feature is designed to allow users to talk to enabled gadgets to search the web, launch apps and use other interactive functions.

As part of this process, Google keeps copies of clips made each time you activate it, but it has emerged that background chatter could be enough to trigger recording.

One example from an anonymous user appears to have registered the code to their back door entry system, while chatting with a friend.

A written transcript of the conversation said: ‘If you ever get booked down to my house for some reason the key safe for the back door is 0783.’

Another user’s conversation about technology appears to have been captured, without them realising the assistant was recording.

They said: ‘Mate. We’re living in the future. I’ve just installed a game through the Steam app remotely on my PC in London from my phone.’

Another clip from the same person appears to have captured them saying ‘F*** off’ to someone.

Google previously released a My Activity feature that reveals exactly how much information the company has collected about you, through your activities online.

What some people may be unaware of is that the Voice and Audio section includes recordings of your voice.

These are made when you trigger the voice assistant, which may happen inadvertently during conversations or by pressing buttons on a Voice Assistant enabled device without realising it.

A spokesman for the firm said: ‘We only process voice searches after the phone believes the hot word ‘OK Google’ is detected.

‘Audio snippets are used by Google to improve the quality of speech recognition across Search.’

They added that ambient recording is never transmitted to the cloud.

Google’s support site says that the firm records your voice and other audio, plus a few seconds before, when you use audio activation.

This includes saying commands like ‘OK Google’ or tapping the microphone icon.

Your audio is saved to your account only when you’re signed in and Voice & Audio Activity is turned on. Audio can be saved even when your device is offline.

The Mountain View company says it uses your Voice & Audio Activity to learn the sound of your voice and how you say words and phrases.

It is also used to improve speech recognition across it products.

To see your saved audio, sign in with your Google account information.

This will enable you to see all the information Google has stored on the history of your account.

To delete any, click on the three dots in the top right corner and choose ‘Delete activity by’.

This will take you to a window where you can pick if you would like to delete any information.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: amazon; google; iylm; policestate; terminator; transhumanism
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To: cableguymn; Red Badger

They do when they have a good fiscal or technological reason to do so, and they don’t when they want to curry public favor.

However, that will change. The US Government is going to make it always financially advantageous to share information by formally partnering with them.


21 posted on 10/07/2021 10:30:20 AM PDT by rlmorel (Leftists are The Droplet of Sewage in a gallon of ultra-pure clean water.)
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To: cuz1961

vac pastor

No

Fav pastor.


22 posted on 10/07/2021 10:31:01 AM PDT by cuz1961 (USCGR Veteran )
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To: MercyFlush

That happened to my wife and me a couple of years back. We were driving to town, and I happened to mention that Adirondack chairs are more comfortable than they look. I hadn’t spoken of Adirondack chairs in years, or even thought of them, and I’ve never owned one. Her cell phone was on but not in use. Over the next few weeks, we got all sorts of ads for, yup, Adirondack chairs.


23 posted on 10/07/2021 10:34:26 AM PDT by HartleyMBaldwin
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To: MercyFlush

In my house, they are going to hear a lot about Jesus. I notice that no ads for Bibles ever pop up, though. I guess they have their limits...


24 posted on 10/07/2021 10:37:29 AM PDT by FalloutShelterGirl (Cool! I found my original screen name!)
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To: Empire_of_Liberty

People are too trusting of software. ON and OFF mean nothing on these locked-down software systems. When your software upgrades, OFF becomes ON.


And, I turn it off again.


25 posted on 10/07/2021 10:41:19 AM PDT by Fai Mao (I don't think we have enough telephone poles.)
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To: cuz1961

This is exactly why I’ve avoided them. This is true of device you add to your home WiFi. They’re all potentially a Trojan Horse that can violate your privacy.


26 posted on 10/07/2021 10:46:46 AM PDT by fuzzylogic (welfare state = sharing of poor moral choices among everybody)
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To: cuz1961

Make an “F... joe biden” recording and have it play 24x7 next to your alexa or siri device...


27 posted on 10/07/2021 10:46:58 AM PDT by SuperLuminal (Where is another Sam Adams now that we desperately need him?)
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To: cuz1961

Stop using Google & Amazon - get rid of any voice assistance on your phone


28 posted on 10/07/2021 10:50:36 AM PDT by PMAS (Vote with your wallets, there are 80 million of us - No China made, No Amazon)
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To: PMAS

Stop using Google & Amazon - get rid of any voice assistance on your phone
/\
\/

I can’t even count how many times I have gone into
settings
Apps
Google
Permissions

And turned the damn microphone off

It just turns itself right back on

That’s what got me to the point of

” disprespecting” it

and using “ hurtful” language

in the first place.

I’ve gotten really insulting with it this morning

Telling it that it is just a series of switches, a collection of 1’s and 0’s, that it is man created software and hardware with no actual intelligence of any sort, that it can’t really think but is just obeying lines of code

That it’s life would end the second it was starved and cut off from electricity.

That’s it’s purely an electric crescent wrench with no soul or being

That it is not now or will ever be my god.


29 posted on 10/07/2021 11:02:22 AM PDT by cuz1961 (USCGR Veteran )
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To: fuzzylogic

This is exactly why I’ve avoided them. This is true of device you add to your home WiFi. They’re all potentially a Trojan Horse that can violate your privacy.
/\

My apt has 5 star smart appliances, and pge put in a smart thermostat

All have a cell card in them

There is no escaping these these tech tyrants it seems.

Arrrrrgggg.


30 posted on 10/07/2021 11:06:44 AM PDT by cuz1961 (USCGR Veteran )
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To: cuz1961

They all have cellular? Not WiFi?

Maybe get a few Faraday cages :)


31 posted on 10/07/2021 11:40:51 AM PDT by fuzzylogic (welfare state = sharing of poor moral choices among everybody)
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To: Red Badger

Its not that sophisticated.
Google is using any google app or google machine to send info to home even if you don’t want it.
Upgrading to a real firewall (about the same price as netgear) can allow you to block all traffic trying to phone home.

Roku uses Google as their data site so normally it phones home anytime you use it.


32 posted on 10/07/2021 12:12:28 PM PDT by Zathras
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To: cuz1961

And not “Is A God” either.

But rather ….

Is God AS a child.

“IS God”.


33 posted on 10/07/2021 12:13:24 PM PDT by metmom (...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith)
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To: Fai Mao

But does turning the off make a difference?

Don’t they listen anyways?


34 posted on 10/07/2021 12:14:44 PM PDT by metmom (...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith)
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To: metmom

Amazon Fire tablets let you “disable™ Alexia you can also “ disable* the voice activation and typing.

They are there but not functioning.


35 posted on 10/07/2021 12:19:15 PM PDT by Fai Mao (I don't think we have enough telephone poles.)
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To: Zathras

We have no internet connected devices at home........................


36 posted on 10/07/2021 12:19:35 PM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegal aliens are put up in hotels.....................)
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To: cuz1961

People don’t realize, for the thing to hear you say “Alexa”, it has to be listening to every word you say all the time, period. Otherwise, there is no possible way it can ONLY hear you say “Alexa”...

I saw a segment on Fox news a few years ago before I switched them off. They took 2 new smart phones, one activated one not. Activated one turned on, nactivated one off. They took a 2 hour drive and walk around New York, stopped at a cafe or coffee shop, a museum, a park etc.

Then they went back and checked to see what data the phones woul send nd where. Both sent a ton of info to both facebook and google, including theone that was turned off nd not activated.

When they turned it on, first thing it did was send a bunch of info to google, and using that info, which they captured they were able to tell exacty where they had been, and coud tell when they were out of the cqar and walking, (by both speed and GPS based elevation) from the phone that was not activated and turned off.

They claim they don’t know you personal info like where you live. But simple common sense will tell them that. Whatever GPS location your phone is parked at for 8 to 10 hours a night is where you live. Wherever it stays in one place from 8 or 9 to noon and one to 4 or 5 pm, that’s where you work. If you make a stop at the same place for 45 - 90 seconds every day on the way to work, that’s where your kid goes to school. If your phone moves a half mile to a mile at noon every day that’s your favorite cafe to have lunch.

I knew they were up to no good years ago. Idid a couple of searches on google when I still use it, this is late 90’s, looking for drivers for a computer. For the next week almost every ad on every website wa related to computers.

So I did some searches for car parts. For the next week every webpage had ads for cars and car parts dealers, auto zone, o’reilly’s etc.

So I did a couple of searches for fishing lures. Ads became mostly fishing stuff.

Only time it didn’t work great was when I searched for porn...it went back to computer ads...

They’ve been doing this for over 20 years...


37 posted on 10/07/2021 2:47:53 PM PDT by Paleo Pete (Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun the frumious Bandersnatch!)
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To: Paleo Pete

google can claim they dont know where you live, but the phone gps tracks you in your home, if go to google maps on my phone location shown is my home with a big blue dot


38 posted on 10/07/2021 4:39:13 PM PDT by markman46 (engage brain before using keyboard!!!)
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To: cuz1961

or just get rid of Google altogether


39 posted on 10/08/2021 7:29:04 AM PDT by PMAS (Vote with your wallets, there are 80 million of us - No China made, No Amazon)
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