Don't use Google Chrome and delete it if it's on your computer

[Pointedstick]

https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/b ... -in-depth/

TL;DR version: It may be constantly listening using your computer's microphone.

[Mountaineer]

https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/b ... -in-depth/

TL;DR version: It may be constantly listening using your computer's microphone.

I for one, believe you, without complete 100% logical proof.  And I already have done so.  I have almost completely parted ways with Google ... except for YouTube.  Is there an alternative?  I do use Ghostery but I'm not convinced that Ghostery's nerds are better than Google's nerds.

... Mountaineer

[dragoncar]

https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/b ... -in-depth/

TL;DR version: It may be constantly listening using your computer's microphone.

Wow.  Google's "don't be evil" mantra is starting to look quite Orwellian. 

PS, can you remind me what your favorite browser is these days?

Always thought that slogan sounded off.  That's like the exact slogan an evil corporation would have!

[craigr]

https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/b ... -in-depth/

TL;DR version: It may be constantly listening using your computer's microphone.

Wow.  Google's "don't be evil" mantra is starting to look quite Orwellian. 

PS, can you remind me what your favorite browser is these days?

Always thought that slogan sounded off.  That's like the exact slogan an evil corporation would have!

It's the kind of thing a convicted murderer would say to themselves when let out on parole. "Don't kill people. Don't kill people. Don't kill people."

The sentiment sounds nice, but the fact you're saying that is your core belief is trying a bit too hard. Most people don't need to remind themselves constantly not to commit murder, or be evil.

"Hi, I'm John. My motto is 'Don't kill people.' In fact, I say that to myself all the time as a life affirmation. Say, do you want to be friends?"

[Pointedstick]

https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/b ... -in-depth/

TL;DR version: It may be constantly listening using your computer's microphone.

Wow.  Google's "don't be evil" mantra is starting to look quite Orwellian. 

PS, can you remind me what your favorite browser is these days?

I'm back to Safari for the moment but I think I may switch to Firefox soon. None of them are perfect but FireFox seems the most trustworthy to me. Unfortunately, a recent update made the interface really annoying.

[Tortoise]

Ugh.

I had been toying with the idea of putting a piece of black tape over my computer's camera lens when I'm not using it (which is almost always), but decided against it because I thought I was just being paranoid. But this article is making me reconsider.

Does anyone here cover up their computer's camera lens when it's not in use? And what about microphones?

[Pointedstick]

Ugh.

I had been toying with the idea of putting a piece of black tape over my computer's camera lens when I'm not using it (which is almost always), but decided against it because I thought I was just being paranoid. But this article is making me reconsider.

Does anyone here cover up their computer's camera lens when it's not in use? And what about microphones?

I do that. The microphone is harder though since you can never fully cover it, and on most machines, there's no light indicating when it's in use. I strongly agree with the sentiment expressed in the article that machines with cameras and microphones need hardware shut-off switches. As much as it would baffle the typical user and lead to endless tech support calls… I still think it's better than the alternative. And maybe it would put a stop to the ridiculous trend of voice control. Does anyone actually like or use this feature? I have not met anyone who does. And yet Amazon just came out with such a product: a 100% voice-controlled computer. Needless to say, this thing has to be constantly listening and recording its environment simply to function. What a terrible idea.

[dragoncar]

Ugh.

I had been toying with the idea of putting a piece of black tape over my computer's camera lens when I'm not using it (which is almost always), but decided against it because I thought I was just being paranoid. But this article is making me reconsider.

Does anyone here cover up their computer's camera lens when it's not in use? And what about microphones?

I do that. The microphone is harder though since you can never fully cover it, and on most machines, there's no light indicating when it's in use. I strongly agree with the sentiment expressed in the article that machines with cameras and microphones need hardware shut-off switches. As much as it would baffle the typical user and lead to endless tech support calls… I still think it's better than the alternative. And maybe it would put a stop to the ridiculous trend of voice control. Does anyone actually like or use this feature? I have not met anyone who does. And yet Amazon just came out with such a product: a 100% voice-controlled computer. Needless to say, this thing has to be constantly listening and recording its environment simply to function. What a terrible idea.

I don't have computer with a camera, but I probably would.  Can chrome also take over your OS settings?  Cause I think I have the mic disabled right now in Windows.  You could also delete the drivers... honestly I never use the mic.

On the other hand, my smartphone probably has an NSA backdoor anyways.

[Libertarian666]

Ugh.

I had been toying with the idea of putting a piece of black tape over my computer's camera lens when I'm not using it (which is almost always), but decided against it because I thought I was just being paranoid. But this article is making me reconsider.

Does anyone here cover up their computer's camera lens when it's not in use? And what about microphones?

I do that. The microphone is harder though since you can never fully cover it, and on most machines, there's no light indicating when it's in use. I strongly agree with the sentiment expressed in the article that machines with cameras and microphones need hardware shut-off switches. As much as it would baffle the typical user and lead to endless tech support calls… I still think it's better than the alternative. And maybe it would put a stop to the ridiculous trend of voice control. Does anyone actually like or use this feature? I have not met anyone who does. And yet Amazon just came out with such a product: a 100% voice-controlled computer. Needless to say, this thing has to be constantly listening and recording its environment simply to function. What a terrible idea.

I covered the camera in my laptop as soon as I got it. I don't have a camera in my main computer, and while I do have an external microphone, I only hook it up if I'm going to use it (rarely). It also has a shut-off switch and a light to show if it is turned on... but that could be fake too.

[MediumTex]

Here is what I suggest to help mitigate the open mic issues on all of your devices:

Get a portable CD player and pick up a copy of Lee Greenwood's American Patriot CD and put it on repeat and always have it playing at a low volume near the potentially open microphones.

It won't completely solve the problem, but if you keep your voice down it will make it harder for them to know what you're saying.

Here is the song list from American Patriot that you will be getting very familiar with:

1. The Pledge of Allegiance
2. America
3. God Bless The U.S.A.
4. This Land Is Your Land
5. The Battle Hymn Of The Republic
6. God Bless America
7. Dixie
8. The Great Defenders
9. America The Beautiful
10. Star Spangled Banner

Just to make it all seem legit, you might want to periodically say something like the following within earshot of your computer's microphone: "I keep thinking I'm going to get tired of this CD, but it's so good I just can't get enough of it."

[flyingpylon]

I'm assuming safari can only be used on an Apple product.  I think I'll try FireFox again.  I actually like Chrome, unfortunately.  But that is mostly based on comparing to Explorer, which is simply awful.

Safari is available for Windows.  Not sure about Linux.

[Benko]

Ugh.

I had been toying with the idea of putting a piece of black tape over my computer's camera lens when I'm not using it (which is almost always), but decided against it because I thought I was just being paranoid. But this article is making me reconsider.

Does anyone here cover up their computer's camera lens when it's not in use? And what about microphones?

I do that. The microphone is harder though since you can never fully cover it, and on most machines, there's no light indicating when it's in use.

Do you mean my mac desktop (imac) has a built in microphone?  Or are you speaking only of mac laptops?

[Pointedstick]

Do you mean my mac desktop (imac) has a built in microphone?  Or are you speaking only of mac laptops?

If your iMac has a camera, it has a microphone too.

[Tyler]

Xbox Kinect has also had similar controversy in the past because it's always on looking for motion inputs.  And make no mistake -- Apple has been in hot water for collecting Siri and GPS data as well.  They know where you are and what you ask for, and keeping the mic on is certainly not impossible.  The simple fact of the matter is that in the era of big data and constant connectivity, big companies are going to find creative ways to make profits that you may not like.  It's not just Google.

If you don't want to be monitored, the only real way to stop it is to cut your data connection.  That's reality these days. 

[WiseOne]

If you don't want to be monitored, the only real way to stop it is to cut your data connection.  That's reality these days.

I'm afraid that's entirely true.  Chrome is unlikely to be the only piece of software that effectively does continuous monitoring through your computer.  How do you know Safari doesn't do the same thing?  Or any of the other browsers?

Also, I saw that in the article, Chrome includes a "black box" piece of software that a) downloads something when Chrome starts, and b) turns on the microphone.  It may not be the case that they are continuously collecting audio data.

Interestingly, there are quite significant medical/legal confidentiality/HIPAA issues that could arise if anyone were to file a test case.  Chrome is in widespread use at my medical center and likely others as well.

[Benko]

Interestingly, there are quite significant medical/legal confidentiality/HIPAA issues that could arise if anyone were to file a test case.  Chrome is in widespread use at my medical center and likely others as well.

Like the way you think.  Let HIPAA loose on them.


Thanks PS.  Whoda thunk it.

[MachineGhost]

1. The Pledge of Allegiance

I'm curious.  Does he sing this or does he recite?

I think This Land is Your Land and America the Beautiful are more beautiful with children's or women's voices, though (certainly NOT Roseanne Barr).

[MediumTex]

1. The Pledge of Allegiance

I'm curious.  Does he sing this or does he recite?

I think This Land is Your Land and America the Beautiful are more beautiful with children's or women's voices, though (certainly NOT Roseanne Barr).

I believe that he hums it.

Are you familiar with the two lost verses to Woody's Guthrie's "This Land is Your Land"?  One was only recorded once and the other one was never recorded.

Here they are:

    There was a big high wall there that tried to stop me.
    The sign was painted, said 'Private Property.'
    But on the backside, it didn't say nothing.
    This land was made for you and me.

    One bright sunny morning in the shadow of the steeple,
    by the relief office I saw my people.
    As they stood hungry,
    I stood there wondering if God blessed America for me.

[dualstow]

Weird, I was considering getting a mic for my Mac mini so that I could ease my carpal tunnel by typing less. It has neither mic nor camera.

Please tell me that they were spying through my $49 extended keyboard, because yesterday I spilled tea on it and ruined it (I really did), and I'd feel better knowing that I was foiling Google or NSA.

[dualstow]

I do have an Android phone with the 'Ok Google' feature built in. Google should either let me eliminate that or pay my phone bill.

[dragoncar]

I do have an Android phone with the 'Ok Google' feature built in. Google should either let me eliminate that or pay my phone bill.

http://www.howtogeek.com/213784/how-to- ... id-device/

[dualstow]

Shh! Your Smart TV Is Listening!
http://www.newsweek.com/shh-your-smart- ... ing-305503

Thanks, for that tip, Dragoncar!

[moda0306]

1. The Pledge of Allegiance

I'm curious.  Does he sing this or does he recite?

I think This Land is Your Land and America the Beautiful are more beautiful with children's or women's voices, though (certainly NOT Roseanne Barr).

I believe that he hums it.

Are you familiar with the two lost verses to Woody's Guthrie's "This Land is Your Land"?  One was only recorded once and the other one was never recorded.

Here they are:

    There was a big high wall there that tried to stop me.
    The sign was painted, said 'Private Property.'
    But on the backside, it didn't say nothing.
    This land was made for you and me.

    One bright sunny morning in the shadow of the steeple,
    by the relief office I saw my people.
    As they stood hungry,
    I stood there wondering if God blessed America for me.

I always thought the bolded line was "that side was made for you and me," which would be even more pointed.  I was floored when I first saw those deleted lyrics.  I sang this song in elementary school.  To think that the original tried to challenge the idea of private property is pretty crazy, to me.

The rest of the song sort of beats around the bush with whether it is trying to say something political, then that line knocks it out of the park.

[Lowe]

So let's say your computer records your actions on video.  What is it going to do with the recording?  Send it back to Google?  How much at a time?  That's not insignificant traffic.

Google has to pay for all the network traffic it gets, just like anyone else (not that they don't try to make the ISPs pay for it instead, hello, net neutrality).  Presumably they reserve the spy treatment for special targets.  If they really do this at all.

[Lowe]

Okay, if it is only audio it's a lot less expensive.  Although it still seems like a waste unless you've already got some targets picked out.  Most of what people say has no strategic value.