NFOA MEMBERS FORUM
General Categories => Non Gun Stuff => Topic started by: Mali on December 28, 2016, 09:36:29 AM
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Recently a case in murder case in Arkansas led to the Police department requesting the recordings made by the suspects Amazon Echo from Amazon. Amazon denied the request for recordings but did provide the account information and purchases.
Amazon's statement:
"Amazon will not release customer information without a valid and binding legal demand properly served on us. Amazon objects to overbroad or otherwise inappropriate demands as a matter of course."
https://www.engadget.com/2016/12/27/amazon-echo-audio-data-murder-case/
Of most importance is the note at the bottom of the article that the recordings are stored on the Amazon servers until you delete them individually or in bulk.
This is important as a privacy matter since Amazon not only keeps these recordings until you delete them but the device will sometimes start a recording, or "utterance" as Amazon calls them, because it thought you used the keyword and that recording is on their servers as well.
For those of you that are using Siri or the Android equivalent, you basically have an open mic on your phones and devices as well and that information might be stored as well. I have the Android assistant disabled on my phone, but many a time my wife and I have been driving along in my truck talking about something and suddenly hear "Say a command" from the Garmin on my dashboard.
For a little fun yell out "Hey Siri" in a crowd and watch how many phones fire up.
Just think of how often your phone hears things as well. ;)
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For a little fun yell out "OK Google, Hey Siri" in a crowd and watch how many phones fire up.
There... that would make it *really* fun :)
Guess I'll stop asking Alexa how to commit the perfect murder....
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A flip phone or smartphone is always listening, even when you turn it off. Take the battery out if you don't want eavesdropping.
iPhones don't let you remove batteries. Siri is always listening. Some Androids feature user replaceable batteries.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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A flip phone or smartphone is always listening, even when you turn it off. Take the battery out if you don't want eavesdropping.
iPhones don't let you remove batteries. Siri is always listening. Some Androids feature user replaceable batteries.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
^This
If you think you can escape eavesdropping ... good luck.
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A flip phone or smartphone is always listening, even when you turn it off. Take the battery out if you don't want eavesdropping.
iPhones don't let you remove batteries. Siri is always listening. Some Androids feature user replaceable batteries.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
This is 100% NOT TRUE. What makes you believe this is accurate? Any evidence? Can you imagine the infrastructure that would have to be in place for this?
As for the Amazon device, it's designed to record for a couple seconds at a time, and those recordings are scanned for the "wake up" word. If it's not detected, that short recording is deleted and it looks at the next couple seconds. It's not literally recording everything it can pick up 24/7.
There are many reasons to be paranoid of this technology, but learn how it works before you decide you don't want it in your house.
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and people wonder why I have never bought a cell phone,
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This is 100% NOT TRUE. What makes you believe this is accurate? Any evidence? Can you imagine the infrastructure that would have to be in place for this?
As for the Amazon device, it's designed to record for a couple seconds at a time, and those recordings are scanned for the "wake up" word. If it's not detected, that short recording is deleted and it looks at the next couple seconds. It's not literally recording everything it can pick up 24/7.
There are many reasons to be paranoid of this technology, but learn how it works before you decide you don't want it in your house.
What makes you believe it is not accurate? It's not paranoia if they truly are spying on you, and they are. Your assumption that I do not know how it works is based on ignorance of my abilities. I taught computer science and electronic in college, among other subjects. I programmed for 40 years. 90% of the cellphone market is owned by Andrioid, which uses the Linux kernel (which is secure) but it has a LOT of insecure Java stuff piled on top, besides the spying that Google does, which is significant. I've used Linux since May of 1998 and have programmed in its environment extensively. ANYONE with sufficient skill can get an Android SDK and program an app that contains the ability to use the mic AND camera surreptitiously.
Many Android phones allow you to take the battery out. If you can't then do what you have to do to an iPhone.
IF you own an iPhone and want to keep your conversations secret turn off your iPhone. Then put it in a refrigerator or make a small Faraday Cage for it, which would also double as protection against an EMP.
https://www.quora.com/How-do-I-build-a-DIY-miniature-cellphone-Faraday-cage
For your edification:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellphone_surveillance
http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/komando/2014/06/20/smartphones-nsa-spying/10548601/
https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130723/12395923907/even-powering-down-cell-phone-cant-keep-nsa-tracking-its-location.shtml
https://www.cnet.com/news/fbi-taps-cell-phone-mic-as-eavesdropping-tool/
As an aside: I own an iPhone 6+, which is very powerful. Despite that, Siri is not smart enough to answer the questions it does without connecting to a remote Apple database which does the heavy lifting. Even then, it is not very smart. BUT, if it is listening for you to give it a command anyone with the right app, remotely installed on your phone, is able to listen remotely to any conversations you have, take snapshots, and store them remotely.