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by coffeedrinker 3112 days ago
I use mine almost exclusively for playing music. I just bought a second one and found they can sync play (which makes for a nice whole house audio solution for cheap). They also function as in house intercom.

I have no concerns over privacy. My web browsing habits and phone leak far more personal data to google.
2 comments
yosamino 3112 days ago
> I have no concerns over privacy.

And that is your right. Where I have problems with this attitude is the question wether all those around you, family or guests you might have over, feel the same way. They're also impacted by this decision, yet they get no say in it.

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coffeedrinker 3112 days ago
I'm more concerned about people I know taking pictures of me and posting it all over Facebook and the rest of the internet. That is far more invasive than this Amazon device. I have no say in that.

As with most privacy things, there is particular privacy and general privacy. In particular, I don't think amazon or google have any intention of examining me. It is all just computer AI doing its thing. One in a sea of millions.

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eeZah7Ux 3112 days ago
Spot on. You might choose to live without a smartphone and other devices but your peers are putting you under corporate surveillance without asking your permissions.
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coffeedrinker 3112 days ago
Almost everyone I know willingly puts themselves under corporate surveillance (credit card?, cell phone?, license plates on car?, web browser?, cable tv?, netflix?, shopper rewards and discounts?).

If you were in my house Amazon wouldn't even know it was you talking.

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microtonal 3112 days ago
Almost everyone I know willingly puts themselves under corporate surveillance (credit card?, cell phone?, license plates on car?, web browser?, cable tv?, netflix?, shopper rewards and discounts?).

Still, everyone should be able to decide which corporate 'masters' they trust. For instance, Netflix may be surveying my watching habits, but I trust them more than Google and Amazon. They can only collect a small subset of data (viewing habits) and it least they get the majority of their income out of subscriptions. Over time, I have started making more principled choices of who I want to give my data and who not.

I don't think it is fair to ask that because I share data with Netflix, I should also be willing to share data with Google or Amazon when I visit you.

Unfortunately, this is only going to get worse. For example, there are a lot of cloud connected cameras with exploitable vulnerabilities. My parents had such a camera and I asked them to cover or disconnect it when I visit them.

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mitjak 3112 days ago
The fact that we justify a privacy breach by comparing to even greater breaches makes me so uncomfortable.
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