[obenn]

I find the best way to convey to people the reason why these smart speakers and devices are so cheap, and seem to be on sale almost perpetually.

A growing number of smart devices are being sold at below-cost, using a combination of data harvesting, ads and a proprietary app/skills store to make a profit for the maker after the sale.

[deogeo]

The price doesn't actually matter - if they can make more money with ads/data harvesting, they will. When has a corporation ever said no to free money?

(Yes it happens but it's damn rare)

[taxidump]

I am not for regulation normally, but I feel we may need to protect our personal data with some type of oversight. The amount of information and personal data these companies hold is frightening.

[soulofmischief]

Don't forget about the ginormous TCL Roku televisions with "opt-in" Active Content Recognition. Now everyone feels they can afford a 70" TV and don't think twice about it.

[scarejunba]

I mean, they think that because they can. It's a great feature.

[soulofmischief]

Except they don't understand the full scope of the purchase. All of their viewing data is now being recorded.

I can afford tons of things when they are subsidized. That's why coal, etc. still seem so sustainable and we think we can afford them as well.

[scarejunba]

I think I am fully on-board with giving people the same option Kindle does:

* Offer price with view tracking

* Offer price without view tracking

I cannot argue that this shouldn't be clearly visible, and I think, for the benefit of the consumer this can't be a ridiculous matrix of all the different kinds of tracking. Opt-in or pay the higher price. That sounds fair. But "make it so no one can opt-in": no. That is oppressive nonsense from rich people who would go "How much does a TV cost, man? Ten thousand dollars? Just buy it."

[soulofmischief]

Kindle offers advertisements at a discount. I purchased one such model.

AFAIK Amazon is not keeping a remote log of every file accessed on my Kindle. Can you point to something saying otherwise?

> I cannot argue that this shouldn't be clearly visible, and I think, for the benefit of the consumer this can't be a ridiculous matrix of all the different kinds of tracking.

Visibility isn't really an issue either way if it's achieved normality.

[scarejunba]

I said "like the Kindle" in that it's clearly advertised what you're getting in the two different flavours. I didn't mean they track you. I was hoping to emphasise the clarity.