Caution to all 'Smart Users'

[yorkrose26]

The BBC has yet again proved, why I have made the right choice in not going 'smart'. I like to think that I am 'tech savvy' and I am the 'go to' person amongst family and friends, but one thing I have always resisted against is Social Media (facebook and twitter etc, I mean do I really need to know when 'little Johnny took his first poo'?), and never to use a voice controlled assistant. There have been numerous articles about 'Big Brother' listening all the time and despite the assurances from the companies in question (Amazon in particular here), other articles have no nothing to allay the fears. Now, today on the BBC website there is this article with regards to the Ring Doorbell,

FBI worried that Ring doorbells are spying on police

Someone under investigation was said to be able to "covertly monitor law enforcement activity".

www.bbc.co.uk

Whilst initially the article maybe seem to be American based, the bottom with regards to Wiltshire Police, is a bit 'scary', in that how far are they going to be using their technology to 'spy' on others. I understand that there is some good that can come out of these devices and that if one is in Australia (when travel once again permits), to tell a delivery driver to leave the package behind the bins, but please, either do not order when going on holiday, or ask a neighbour to take the package in. I mean I know that at the moment we are Social Distancing but there will be a time (and soon hopefully) when we can 'rediscover' talking again!

 

[Deleted member 21102]

Agreed. I don't do social media yet I know someone who "chats" to her daughter who lives with her, on facebook. Go figure. But if they don't bug you on smartphones, there's still your TV, alexa, your security devices, etc etc - all you have to do is upgrade when your device fails and they've got you. It's a weird old world we're in. My friend doesn't own a computer, smartphone or any of those things - maybe she's the smart one.

 

[Toril]

I don’t do FB, Twitter, Instagram etc., nor do I have a Ring doorbell. However, I do have an Echo Show and an Echo dot, but if Alexa is listening in to any of my conversations she’ll be bored rigid.

 

[Tinkywinky150]

I agree, I don’t do Facebook or any of the other social media platforms. I do however have Alexa, who plays “babbling brook” at night to help me go to sleep ( better than listening to my tinnitus).
if she was to listen to my conversations she would fall asleep too

 

[donna255]

I do Facebook, but, I use Firefox and they have a Facebook Container. It means Facebook cannot follow you once you leave the site. I have Twitter and Instagram but never use, the latter I signed up to do a competition a few years ago. Cannot even remember my login for Twitter or Instagram?

Facebook keeps trying to get me to join whatever and I get ads popping up. I just block them all. Nor, do I want more friends and get miffed at having to clear out the picks they insist I might want.

No Alexa either. The woman downstairs has Ring which her grandson who lives with her put up. He came and explained it covered part of my front path and garden, didn't bother me. Well, yesterday it was bin day so me nipping out in my jammies to throw more stuff in my bin before the bin lorry came

 

[Brissles]

I have nothing. In fact have only just upgraded to a granny type iphone. I'm not on any socials either. Perhaps someone on here can confirm or deny that once you're on Facebook its impossible to delete any information or photographs, and they're on there forever. - which is why a lot of celebrities are now humiliated at photos that have surfaced years later.

 

[donna255]

I have heard you can never actually delete your account? There are no photos of mine on Facebook, there is a group photo put up by my cousin some years back.

 

[stratobuddy]

Thinking Allowed on Radio 4 at 4pm today was all about online privacy with Alexa, FB, ANPR etc etc

 

[Toril]

I never say anything to Alexa except which radio channel I want, what’s the weather like, turn up the volume and basic stuff like that. I got wary of her “talents” after I‘d asked her what the weather was like in a place in Yorkshire because I was going up there and wanted to know what coat to pack. She said “I’m sorry, I don’t know that place.” My response was “Alexa, you need to get yourself a map.” Her response was “I have put an atlas into your shopping basket.”

Needless time say, I logged straight into my account and deleted it.

 

[stratobuddy]

My Alexa is very deaf so I have to shout at it all the time, even just to wake it up.

It is now saying things like I hope you have had a nice day today.

I haven't, the road home has been closed for two days so can't get home, and have been all day on dozens of websites and half dozen phone calls, no-one knows when it will reopen.

So I told her about this, but she took no notice.

 

[AndiK]

I never say anything to Alexa except which radio channel I want, what’s the weather like, turn up the volume and basic stuff like that. I got wary of her “talents” after I‘d asked her what the weather was like in a place in Yorkshire because I was going up there and wanted to know what coat to pack. She said “I’m sorry, I don’t know that place.” My response was “Alexa, you need to get yourself a map.” Her response was “I have put an atlas into your shopping basket.”

Needless time say, I logged straight into my account and deleted it.

That’s so funny about the map.

I love my Alexa devices so much, I actually don’t care what she knows about me. She has probably heard all sorts of noises in the night (not X rated but I do talk in my sleep). The one in the lounge will have heard a few expletives aimed at people on tv, especially if QVC is on. A few months ago when the blue ring light came on because Lee Holbein said ”Alexa”, I said “Don’t listen to that berk” and she said “OK”. Well trained and obviously knew who I meant from all such similar instructions around the country.

 

[Deleted member 21102]

I have heard you can never actually delete your account? There are no photos of mine on Facebook, there is a group photo put up by my cousin some years back.

I deleted my facebook account years ago when I started to realise how sinister it could all be. If there's a photo anywhere on the net, it's basically there to be found.

 

[SusieSue]

In my store we have a Google Beacon above the counter, apparently it is meant to track customer numbers.

A few weeks ago I was chatting to my colleague and quoted 'like a circle in a spiral like a wheel within a wheel' from the song Windmills of Your Mind.

A couple of days later I'm cleaning my bathroom while singing along to Meatloaf on my YouTube playlist.

Midway through Bat Out of Hell it changes to Windmills of Your Mind, once that is finished it went back to Meatloaf.

Coincidence? I think not!