[elihu]

I think that consumers aren't actually the target market for most of this always-connected-always-listening device stuff. The real products that are for sale are the data these devices generate and the distribution channel that third parties can buy access to that these devices enable.

There's an old saying that "if you aren't paying for the product, you are the product". That saying might need to be updated to reflect modern times, that "if you aren't paying for the product and maybe even if you are, you are the product".

There may also be some manufacturers who put stuff on the Internet not as a deliberate effort to monetize their customer's lack of privacy, but simply because they've bought into the marketing of other device makers and are convinced that some of the features they can enable by being always connected will make their product more desirable.