Your Mic is Open and Google is Listening

[mrfill]

  On 11/13/2023 at 8:17 AM, fittobethaied said:

I'm not convinced that Alexa is always listening. Until one uses the word "Alexa" its microphone is not activated. 

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Well, here's a conundrum...... how does it realise you have said "Alexa" if it isn't active?

[hotchilli]

  On 11/12/2023 at 6:02 AM, brianthainess said:

Thailand..............Toyland THAILAND !............. Toytown

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Toys are illegal in Thailand?

[VocalNeal]

 

[briofoz]

  On 11/12/2023 at 5:48 AM, racket said:

Use Brave Browser and It'll stop.

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Brave browser for watching sports on streaming sites. Cleans up most of the pop ups.

[bradiston]

  On 11/14/2023 at 12:27 AM, KannikaP said:

Sorry I was not more specific. We were discussing Indian restaurants as we travelled into town. 

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And Google was listening in? And despite the ambient noise and the fact your phones were well away from the discussion, and you hadn't searched for an Indian restaurant, you're claiming Google thought "I know, I'll recommend one for them"? Nah. You're having a laugh mate. Disinformation and alarmist.

 

Now, what REALLY was the story? Or did you just make it all up?

[KannikaP]

  On 11/14/2023 at 8:02 AM, bradiston said:

And Google was listening in? And despite the ambient noise and the fact your phones were well away from the discussion, and you hadn't searched for an Indian restaurant, you're claiming Google thought "I know, I'll recommend one for them"? Nah. You're having a laugh mate. Disinformation and alarmist.

 

Now, what REALLY was the story? Or did you just make it all up?

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Me and the people with me know what happened. Leave it there, OK.

[KannikaP]

  On 11/14/2023 at 4:28 AM, briofoz said:

Brave browser for watching sports on streaming sites. Cleans up most of the pop ups.

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Ssshhhhhhhhhhhh, you can't say that.

[RocketDog]

  On 11/12/2023 at 5:14 AM, sirineou said:

Well they would have to. otherwise how would they know if you are talking to them. 

But the google thing is disturbing. 

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Ah, nope.

A local processor in Alexa listens for a particular phrase. Then it's starts streaming audio to remote servers. That is what Google claims, and while I tend to doubt it, it's feasible.

Personally I purged everything Google two years ago, including my email. It took nearly two weeks to find and break all my associations.

I've taken great efforts to remove myself as nearly as possible from at least casual web searches, and have been successful at that.

I moved to ghostery Dawn browser, and only use DuckDuckGo search engine.

I have no illusions that I can't be tracked, but I do all I can to thwart it.

 

In some bright future maybe laws will prevent such data theft, but I'm not holding my breath.

Like so many things that are upside down in our world today, this will persist as along as the majority of people blithely accept it.

"I don't care because I have nothing to hide". This phrase especially sticks in my craw. I bet they don't walk around naked though!

[MrPancake]

I feel sorry for Google.

[sirineou]

  On 11/14/2023 at 9:57 AM, RocketDog said:

A local processor in Alexa listens for a particular phrase. Then it's starts streaming audio to remote servers.

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Ah nop.

first it is listening , just not at everything they claim. How could someone hear without listening it is a physicals impossibility. They claim they are listening for only one thing , You believe them? The NSA says is not listening , I believe them because they have never lied to me before why should the start now? 

[bradiston]

  On 11/14/2023 at 8:57 AM, KannikaP said:

Me and the people with me know what happened. Leave it there, OK.

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I must remember that as an unchalengable defence in a court of law.

 

And, as the late great Christopher Hitchens said: "What can be asserted without proof can be dismissed without proof." I suggest you made up the whole story.

[Nick Carter icp]

  On 11/14/2023 at 9:57 AM, RocketDog said:

Ah, nope.

A local processor in Alexa listens for a particular phrase. Then it's starts streaming audio to remote servers. That is what Google claims, and while I tend to doubt it, it's feasible.

Personally I purged everything Google two years ago, including my email. It took nearly two weeks to find and break all my associations.

I've taken great efforts to remove myself as nearly as possible from at least casual web searches, and have been successful at that.

I moved to ghostery Dawn browser, and only use DuckDuckGo search engine.

I have no illusions that I can't be tracked, but I do all I can to thwart it.

 

In some bright future maybe laws will prevent such data theft, but I'm not holding my breath.

Like so many things that are upside down in our world today, this will persist as along as the majority of people blithely accept it.

"I don't care because I have nothing to hide". This phrase especially sticks in my craw. I bet they don't walk around naked though!

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   What and who are you hiding from ?

[RocketDog]

  On 11/15/2023 at 8:55 AM, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   What and who are you hiding from ?

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Refer to the thread topic for your answer.

[KannikaP]

  On 11/15/2023 at 8:52 AM, bradiston said:

I must remember that as an unchalengable defence in a court of law.

 

And, as the late great Christopher Hitchens said: "What can be asserted without proof can be dismissed without proof." I suggest you made up the whole story.

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 I can make up better stories than that if needed.

 

[KannikaP]

  On 11/12/2023 at 5:48 AM, racket said:

Use Brave Browser and It'll stop.

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Yes, I have put on my phone and PCs, and it stops other undesirable things too.

[Dan O]

  On 11/13/2023 at 6:00 AM, Muhendis said:

Well all that's true enough until you start noticing pages of "relevant" adverts getting in the way of your normal browsing.

It's an unwelcome intrusion which, as far as I am aware, cannot be opted out of.

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The speaker issue is easily disabled in the settings but thats the least of your worries. Every use of a browser stores your info and sells it or shares it. Also the newer trend even on your trusted sites ask to verify your not a robot and as as soon as you click it they download your recent web activity and again share or sell it 

[topt]

  On 11/15/2023 at 10:02 AM, Dan O said:

Also the newer trend even on your trusted sites ask to verify your not a robot and as as soon as you click it they download your recent web activity and again share or sell it 

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Link please?

[BenStark]

  On 11/15/2023 at 10:02 AM, Dan O said:

The speaker issue is easily disabled in the settings but thats the least of your worries. Every use of a browser stores your info and sells it or shares it. Also the newer trend even on your trusted sites ask to verify your not a robot and as as soon as you click it they download your recent web activity and again share or sell it 

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About every browser these days has an anti-tracking setting, and if you still don't trust it, use private browser

[connda]

Crunch Crunch Crunch.  <glug glug glug>

PPPPPHHHHHHHHHHHHHTTTTTTTTTTTTttttttttttttttttttt.  "Ahhhhh."

<belch>

<POP> Pffffffft.  <glug glug glug>

Crunch Crunch Crunch.

[bradiston]

  On 11/15/2023 at 1:30 PM, BenStark said:

 

About every browser these days has an anti-tracking setting, and if you still don't trust it, use private browser

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I use ghostery and open various news outlets in it, so no ads. It's good for browsing and searching too.

[Gottfrid]

  On 11/12/2023 at 9:20 AM, BritManToo said:

I've got google home voice automation everywhere.

Turns on my lights/TV/sockets, my son asks it for spellings and for help with his homework.

Why would I care if it's listening all the time, nothing much of interest spoken in my home?

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Exactly! It´s not like we are secret agents.
 

  On 11/12/2023 at 6:02 AM, brianthainess said:

Thailand..............Toyland THAILAND !............. Toytown

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Hmmm.... Thanks for sharing.... I think?

[London Lowf]

I use Google all the time and ocassionally it will ask me to review a place that I have visited - nine times out of ten all I did was ride or walk past it.

 

I've Googled my own name - nothing!

 

Last time I looked all of my money is still in my bank/savings account/retirement fund and secret hiding place in my apartment.

 

No worries.

 

(And I'm a worrier!)

 

[bradiston]

  On 11/15/2023 at 1:45 PM, Gottfrid said:

Exactly! It´s not like we are secret agents.
 

Hmmm.... Thanks for sharing.... I think?

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But Trump, Biden, Sunak, and most western leaders think both Huawei and Hikvision for example, are. This is what kicked off the chip wars and took the world to the brink of out and out economic warfare part 34. They're pulling back now thank whoever, and making friends again. From one blind alley to another.

 

Still, can't fly a plane with only one wing

[Dan O]

  On 11/15/2023 at 1:30 PM, BenStark said:

 

About every browser these days has an anti-tracking setting, and if you still don't trust it, use private browser

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Anti tracking is different than capturing your history from websites that ask you to verify you are not a robot. As soon as you click the confirmation button your not a robot it pulls your recent activity 

[Dan O]

  On 11/15/2023 at 1:26 PM, topt said:

Link please?

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Do a web search and you'll find lots of info on this and other data stripping and sharing features from your trusted sites, not just issues with browsers