| >the hackers can use their position to install malicious code on the devices or to surreptitiously monitor the comings and goings of the owners Do we really care? I made this post couple of days back. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11149716 I posted the same to reddit also. I was down voted heavily. Anyway, I want to ask this. How did we get here? How did the whole tech crowd okayed the use of perpetually connected devices with cameras (on both sides!) and microphones to allow operating them without notifying the user. I mean, did no one ask, why is there no indicator light on this camera (or mic) on my net connected phone that I take with me to the most private of places? So what about forcing these gadget makers to add notification that cannot be bypassed in software to alert users when camera or mic is active? Let them add them in all the new devices. Also, pickup your phone right now and stick a piece of tape on that camera (both of them). Will you do that? Naa...you won't, because that is too 'inconvenient' to remove it when you have to take a picture.. So yes. We deserve everything that we get! |
Consumer choice is not all it's cracked up to be. The process for getting surveillance out of phones is like getting lead out of the water: functioning accountable regulation.
(Cameras are less relevant when the phone is in my pocket; it's the microphone that is more of concern.)