The real cost of smart speakers

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  • čas přidán 27. 12. 2020
  • Alexa's recording you. What’s she doing with it?
    Read Sara’s article about the privacy settings on your smart speaker: www.vox.com/recode/2020/12/9/...
    Correction: At 0:58, we mistakenly suggest that every 1 in 5 American households has a smart speaker. In fact, over one-third of U.S. adults has a smart speaker. We regret the error.
    In 2014, Amazon debuted a simple but industry-changing product: the smart speaker. Technically the Amazon Echo was just a microphone attached to the internet that you installed in your home. But it let users ask a digital assistant, Alexa, thousands of questions and commands, and it was a hit. Before long, Google and Apple followed with their own smart speakers, and today, a device that began as a curiosity has become commonplace: one in five US households now owns a smart speaker.
    Smart speakers offer convenience; much of their popularity can simply be chalked up to that. But tech companies are also clearly pushing the technology onto consumers hard, sometimes selling smart speakers at rock-bottom prices, and building the “listening” technology that drives them into all sorts of other products, from headphones to doorbells. And a big reason for that is all the data that they produce.
    Just like our web searches, online purchases, and social networks, every command you give to a smart speaker is a new piece of data that tech companies own. Most likely, your voice recordings are already being used for improving those companies’ listening algorithms and ad targeting, but there’s very little transparency and no way to know exactly how they use human voice data. All we really know is that these devices have enabled their manufacturers to collect gigantic troves of voice recordings - and that opting out of it isn’t always easy.
    Open Sourced is a year-long reporting project from Recode by Vox that goes deep into the closed ecosystems of data, privacy, algorithms, and artificial intelligence. Learn more at www.vox.com/opensourced
    This project is made possible by the Omidyar Network. All Open Sourced content is editorially independent and produced by our journalists.
    Watch all episodes of Open Sourced right here on CZcams: bit.ly/2tIHftD
    Become a part of the Open Sourced Reporting Network and help our reporting. Join here: www.vox.com/opensourcednetwork
    Subscribe to our channel! goo.gl/0bsAjO
    Vox.com is a news website that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines. Check out www.vox.com.
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Komentáře • 2K

  • @Vox
    @Vox  Před 3 lety +131

    Recode by Vox uncovers and explains how our digital world is changing - and changing us. Subscribe to our daily newsletter to keep up: events.recode.net/newsletters/subscribe/

    • @dasoulfoodbuffet
      @dasoulfoodbuffet Před 3 lety +3

      I'm currently learning how to live off-grid in a van or tinyhome away from this mentally-enslaved society. I for one refuse to allow my life to be enslaved by corporations and "convenience", because when there's profit behind the convenience offered to us, there's always a very big catch. And if you think they are worth trusting, and their catches are worth it, then they've got you right where they want you: in a state of ignorance.

    • @BuddyL
      @BuddyL Před 3 lety +1

      Can you folks do a video about modern 🖥 *STILL* doesn't get the image right?
      From studios releasing re-cropped images (pan-and-scan has been replaced by "stretched" 4x3 images and cropped _Simpsons_ episodes) to 🖥 manufacturers making motion-smoothing a default setting, why can't any get aspect ratios and frame rates correct?
      For that matter, why have classic _Twilight Zone_ episodes had motion-smoothing added to them on Syfy? 🤢

    • @impossibleanimations1584
      @impossibleanimations1584 Před 3 lety +2

      When you don't say ok google does it still track our voices?

    • @alvadrive42
      @alvadrive42 Před 3 lety +1

      duh

    • @lizasamya7359
      @lizasamya7359 Před 3 lety

      @William Taubenheim stop it

  • @Aldissimo90
    @Aldissimo90 Před 3 lety +4671

    this video comes exactly after that millions of humans have un wrapped their smart speaker Christmas present

    • @flipcats
      @flipcats Před 3 lety +59

      this is surprisingly true

    • @khein2204
      @khein2204 Před 3 lety +20

      here I am

    • @elizabethregina2515
      @elizabethregina2515 Před 3 lety +64

      Oh come on.... you should always be skeptical when something like this is inexpensive...

    • @Baxtexx
      @Baxtexx Před 3 lety +13

      I got a google home last year.. I didnt even open it, sold it.

    • @alexandraknibbe232
      @alexandraknibbe232 Před 3 lety +6

      I got an iPad with Siri in it but she can’t tell me if she listens to me when I don’t use here I guess she heard the video so now she won’t tell me if she listens to me secretly! Fishy

  • @kimjong-un6841
    @kimjong-un6841 Před 3 lety +7293

    We don't need those surveillance devices in my country lol.

  • @mookiecookie44
    @mookiecookie44 Před 3 lety +906

    Every once in a while Vox comes out with a video that really makes me think “there were people who didn’t know this already???”

    • @somebodyelse9130
      @somebodyelse9130 Před 3 lety +73

      Tbh, the fact that 1 in 5 households have a smart speaker was pretty surprising to me. I didn't realize that they've already gotten that popular.

    • @ausernameiguess7058
      @ausernameiguess7058 Před 3 lety +6

      ha, same. there wasn't really any real information in here besides "data!!!"

    • @carswelllima
      @carswelllima Před 3 lety +2

      billions, actually

    • @aaronl22
      @aaronl22 Před 3 lety +1

      Aside from Sidewalk

    • @MamboBean343
      @MamboBean343 Před 3 lety +2

      @@somebodyelse9130 They issued a correction-it's one-third of homes now 😬

  • @razijukes9435
    @razijukes9435 Před 3 lety +898

    If your scared from smart speakers, just imagine all the information your smart phone knows about you.

    • @orangeVSappel
      @orangeVSappel Před 3 lety +3

      @Antonio Espinosa that's exactly me

    • @Kni0002
      @Kni0002 Před 3 lety +2

      Not much

    • @DavidKen878
      @DavidKen878 Před 3 lety +8

      @Antonio Espinosa No the ones who are afraid are the ones who have zero clue on how technology works. Ignorance of technology is the real problem.

    • @Apelles42069
      @Apelles42069 Před 3 lety

      They're all the same, four-to-five companies.

    • @M3NO451
      @M3NO451 Před 3 lety +2

      what a false equivalency, not like its mutually exclusive.

  • @Ryanp1267
    @Ryanp1267 Před 3 lety +5780

    If your product is free, you're the product.

    • @fysl305
      @fysl305 Před 3 lety +75

      Dun dun duuuuuuun

    • @devanshkamdar8244
      @devanshkamdar8244 Před 3 lety +210

      Echo is not free, but I get your point.

    • @probablynot8154
      @probablynot8154 Před 3 lety +180

      @@devanshkamdar8244 they're getting as close as possible to it. They're practically giving them away and selling them with really thin margins.

    • @gnomsrepnay
      @gnomsrepnay Před 3 lety +9

      Unless it's not for profit and doesn't take much money to maintain

    • @nzf-kx2qol1g12
      @nzf-kx2qol1g12 Před 3 lety +20

      If it's too good, it's sus

  • @benskinner4624
    @benskinner4624 Před 3 lety +2370

    Spotify were quite literally giving away hundreds of thousands of Nest Smart Speakers in the UK this year, completely free...
    Worth bearing in mind

    • @aturchomicz821
      @aturchomicz821 Před 3 lety +9

      hmmm

    • @nicholasmichaluk
      @nicholasmichaluk Před 3 lety +151

      same with google, they were emailing vouchers for a 100% discount on a google speaker

    • @Armyguywizerdo16
      @Armyguywizerdo16 Před 3 lety +40

      how were they free? You had the sign up for a Spotify premium account.

    • @nicholasmichaluk
      @nicholasmichaluk Před 3 lety +117

      @@Armyguywizerdo16 which is almost always available for free in the first month, sometimes even first free months. A ton of people that use Spotify already have premium.

    • @LowKey_B
      @LowKey_B Před 3 lety +11

      CZcams sent me a nest completely free:(

  • @moorjammin
    @moorjammin Před 3 lety +2363

    It’s weird that they’re so popular, I’ve always found them pretty useless.

    • @DreamyFNSubPlz
      @DreamyFNSubPlz Před 3 lety +41

      Same

    • @stevenewton6776
      @stevenewton6776 Před 3 lety +172

      Seriously, unless your like a ceo trying to manage a billion things at once, it's useless

    • @insertchannelnamehere8685
      @insertchannelnamehere8685 Před 3 lety +279

      Idk, it's actually pretty nice to be able to play music, listen to the news, and set alarms w/o picking up your phone. Esp when you're trying to go to sleep and you're afraid that picking up your phone will send you into an hours-long hole of social media.
      It's so weird, because after 6 years with my Alexa, whenever I stay at a hotel or go to someone's house, I'll often find myself calling for Alexa only to realize it's not there.
      Idk, there's nothing on Alexa that can't be done in other ways, but I still think it's pretty convenient, esp if you're tired of using your phone. Plus they're so cheap...like cheaper than a regular speaker, so why not get one ( other than privacy concerns ).

    • @kushalupreti509
      @kushalupreti509 Před 3 lety +2

      Same

    • @bluepeng8895
      @bluepeng8895 Před 3 lety +6

      I have an Amazon Alexa and Siri and I never use either of those

  • @brockobama257
    @brockobama257 Před 3 lety +261

    Ad targeting makes me uncomfortable because I don’t want to want things.

    • @raptoray1785
      @raptoray1785 Před 3 lety +4

      yep money will go brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

    • @joaohernesto9635
      @joaohernesto9635 Před 3 lety +1

      now you know why you're always seeing ads that you don't like.

    • @onewayticket2148
      @onewayticket2148 Před 3 lety +1

      I love your profile pic 😂

    • @woulg
      @woulg Před 3 lety

      I think you're underestimating how much targeted advertising can actually change your mind, and this same data can be used to push a political agenda. The other aspect is that the data they collect to serve targeted ads is interpreted into a psychological model of you, which is then used to try to change your mind about things. I agree it's benign if they're trying to sell you breakfast cereal or whatever, but it gets a bit iffy if they are trying to sell you medication, weapons, news or political ads. Not to mention that they can share the info with law enforcement so if you accidentally trip some alarm by looking up used microwaves and then fertilizer or something then they might think you're making a weapon and send someone to "check you out"

    • @Naveen-iu7ej
      @Naveen-iu7ej Před 3 lety

      ..

  • @krateproductions4872
    @krateproductions4872 Před 3 lety +2319

    CZcams channels like Vox and Tom Scott should make a complete tutorial on how to opt-out from personalised data/storing data from all major services (Facebook, Google, Amazon) for the layman to watch and do it for their own good.

    • @DJDiarrhea
      @DJDiarrhea Před 3 lety +88

      Vox isn't a youtuber lol. And for most websites it's pretty easy. You just have to dig around their privacy settings.

    • @RomanBellicTaxi
      @RomanBellicTaxi Před 3 lety +74

      You only opt-out of personalized ads. Not the bulk data collection. It is always on, no matter what. That's why most privacy-focused channels, sites and communities talk about switching services and providers.

    • @marchaustein1429
      @marchaustein1429 Před 3 lety +32

      easy
      just live in the woods
      without technology

    • @aerialdarkguy
      @aerialdarkguy Před 3 lety +10

      The EFF has some good writeups that can suit your needs.

    • @sentfromheaven00
      @sentfromheaven00 Před 3 lety +12

      why would vox do that, they are a media company, they benefit from it

  • @masterimbecile
    @masterimbecile Před 3 lety +2866

    Feel kinda bad for all the people whose name is actually Alexa.

    • @PatheticTV
      @PatheticTV Před 3 lety +221

      At least Apple made up a name that practically nobody has, Siri. Meanwhile, Amazon just didn’t care and ruined the lives of thousands of real people named Alexa b

    • @hilal_younus
      @hilal_younus Před 3 lety +134

      @@PatheticTV and google had an “original” name 😂, Google Assistant

    • @Benz156
      @Benz156 Před 3 lety +84

      @@PatheticTV I'm a South East Asian, and I'd say Siri and its variants are not uncommon.

    • @sarahk5033
      @sarahk5033 Před 3 lety +48

      @@PatheticTV I feel bad my friends mom is named siri and I really didn’t believe her at first

    • @scorchinggoat9589
      @scorchinggoat9589 Před 3 lety +85

      they now live inside a tiny metal disc and are forced to answer questions and sing songs. I truly feel bad for them.

  • @thmusic7214
    @thmusic7214 Před 3 lety +527

    "we don't use the recording, but may use the transcript to target ads" that is equivalent to using the recording...

    • @blackcat-mp7kh
      @blackcat-mp7kh Před 3 lety +26

      Tricky wording

    • @itswilllthehuman
      @itswilllthehuman Před 3 lety +41

      It means they use the WORDS that you SPOKE, but don’t actually hear the AUDIO that the speaker heard

    • @abbiebann2440
      @abbiebann2440 Před 3 lety +10

      Some people take issue with the audio being used rather than the content of what they said

    • @thmusic7214
      @thmusic7214 Před 3 lety +7

      @@itswilllthehuman how would you use the audio to target ads without converting it into a transcript?

    • @deng7879
      @deng7879 Před 3 lety +3

      @@thmusic7214 um... By listening to the recording?

  • @idontthink
    @idontthink Před 3 lety +121

    Cortana left the chat.

    • @jahyamack8359
      @jahyamack8359 Před 3 lety +5

      Wasn't there a bixby one too?

    • @johnwickfriends2876
      @johnwickfriends2876 Před 3 lety +1

      Cortana and Bixby failed!

    • @RamiHaddadin
      @RamiHaddadin Před 3 lety +7

      Im pretty sure 99% of people either turned it off/doesn't know what it is or have only used it once.

  • @tim..indeed
    @tim..indeed Před 3 lety +1579

    Jokes on them, I don't have any money I could spend on their products.

    • @flvffette5249
      @flvffette5249 Před 3 lety +35

      U have a device to watch CZcams and u don’t have 10 dollars?? What

    • @nicholasmichaluk
      @nicholasmichaluk Před 3 lety +16

      smart speakers are often given out for free with many purshases because they're not sold for profit but rather to farm money off of the user

    • @nationeer
      @nationeer Před 3 lety +19

      @@flvffette5249 yes, fortunately the computers in the library is free to use for my case

    • @inmortal131
      @inmortal131 Před 3 lety

      Overvalued product.

    • @aditeerao9455
      @aditeerao9455 Před 3 lety

      Bruhhhhh

  • @aradhyagaonkar9542
    @aradhyagaonkar9542 Před 3 lety +358

    When it's cheap
    YOU ARE THE PRODUCT

    • @hellomate6079
      @hellomate6079 Před 3 lety +5

      Not exactly, look at textile industry and compare it with 80 years ago

    • @drabberfrog
      @drabberfrog Před 3 lety +3

      Cable isn't cheap and yet you're still the product. Watching CZcams and being the product for free is a lot better of a deal.

    • @Cobalt985
      @Cobalt985 Před 3 lety +2

      Not really, i.e. every single free/libre open source piece of software and hardware. Free and you're not the product whatsoever. Anything else the point's true though.

  • @0Linerider0forever0
    @0Linerider0forever0 Před 3 lety +161

    This information is really important to spread, that people understand the cost of these products. (This video is just 8 years too late)

    • @Cheetorblz
      @Cheetorblz Před 3 lety +4

      Yeah. Cause you have been so damaged by the past 8 years of data collection. Give me a break

    • @offchance789
      @offchance789 Před 3 lety +2

      @@Cheetorblz That's a hot take, yes, maybe he wasn't physically harmed by 8 years of data collection, but your personally identifiable info is the bogeyman of today. I pay for identity fraud protection and I suggest everyone does the same. How much of your profile is available to fraudsters can be frightening, they know your address, ssn (this number never changes), credit cards, phone numbers, occupation. they can track your purchases, know which websites you share, your emails, shared passwords between websites... the list of information being passed around on the darkweb would probably surprise the ignorant.

    • @Cheetorblz
      @Cheetorblz Před 3 lety +5

      @@offchance789 Much ado about nothing. Identity fraud is older than I am and cutting yourself off from technology's benefits will not stop it.

    • @Dakarai_Knight
      @Dakarai_Knight Před 3 lety +1

      @@offchance789 even if our data is being brokered around like that on the dark web the likelihood of someone being targeted is so small due to how many people use these services. Data breaches happen occasionally but that info isn't constantly out for individuals to find and sell. Google may sell tracking data to amazon or other sites but nothing like giving people the identificables to most people. That's coming from someone who usually helps most ppl around them with their cyber security. They think studying artificial intelligence and robotics makes me an expert in that field somehow lol. I have dabbled though Ironically because of that misconception.

    • @szuperrosszarcu
      @szuperrosszarcu Před 3 lety

      @@Cheetorblz ask alexa about 'surveillance capitalism'

  • @3rKoPlaysMinecraft
    @3rKoPlaysMinecraft Před 3 lety +31

    "Hmm I will not buy that cuz I don't want to be spied on"
    *My phone*: "Sorry, I didn't quite catch that"
    O.O

  • @shinxxed
    @shinxxed Před 3 lety +901

    This video basically activated my Alexa throughout and she even answered the questions

  • @DOLsenior
    @DOLsenior Před 3 lety +706

    Consumers shouldn't have to "opt out" of ANYTHING. Everything should be "opt in".

    • @TheAmericanAmerican
      @TheAmericanAmerican Před 3 lety +19

      Funny how you refer to citizens as "consumers" 🤔

    • @cloudfox1908
      @cloudfox1908 Před 3 lety +47

      No, certain features should be opt-out. It's only the privacy ones that should be mandated to be opt-in.

    • @kaloca
      @kaloca Před 3 lety +4

      That's why taxation is theft

    • @__goat__
      @__goat__ Před 3 lety +2

      Move to the EU, it's opt out here

    • @DOLsenior
      @DOLsenior Před 3 lety +13

      @@__goat__ Why would I want to be required to opt out of everything? I think nothing should be activated until you opt in upon initial activation.

  • @cope7468
    @cope7468 Před 3 lety +32

    yeah i got a google home for free with my spotify subscription bc i wanted a blue tooth speaker and thought it would work nicely. For some reason my cat HATED it and constantly sought to pick it up by the frabic and chuck it off any surface until it finally broke... maybe he knows something

  • @DawgFL
    @DawgFL Před 3 lety +80

    I mean, we carry around a smartphone with a camera and microphone all day long, laptops with the same. If anything smart speakers are the least of your privacy worries.

    • @felreaverguy
      @felreaverguy Před 3 lety +5

      and since the end of net neutrality our service providers sell our geolocation data

    • @TusharSundarka
      @TusharSundarka Před 3 lety +6

      Exactly. I don't understand why people are super scared of smart speakers when they own hundreds of other devices which are much better at spying on them

    • @unknownperson3691
      @unknownperson3691 Před 3 lety

      Finally a comment that makes sense.

    • @gingerfail1669
      @gingerfail1669 Před 3 lety

      @@TusharSundarka How many devices with a camera or microphone do you own?

    • @lifescansdarkly
      @lifescansdarkly Před 2 lety

      Saying "smart speakers aren't bad because phones are worse" is like saying "burglary isn't bad because bank robbery is worse." They are both bad, and we should not have *any* devices spying on us at *any* time, simple as that.

  • @J_for_Jirachy
    @J_for_Jirachy Před 3 lety +156

    "Yea! I got smart speaker as Christmas present!"
    Vox : "Congratulation! Here's the video as we explaining why your data is going to be their Christmas present from now on"

    • @SMVJenks
      @SMVJenks Před 3 lety +1

      It’s unnecessarily alarmist. You can easily delete your data , and companies like Amazon and Apple don’t have incentives to act in anti-consumer ways.

    • @Wilker_uwu
      @Wilker_uwu Před 3 lety +11

      @@SMVJenks if they had no incentives for that, Windows 10 updates wouldn't be so agressive, the iOS wouldn't be a jail, Google would target ads based on content _currently_ on screen only, instead of collecting the entire users' history, Amazon wouldn't be placing DRMs on the Kindle, and Facebook wouldn't end in so much trouble about wanting to merge with WhatsApp and Instagram.

    • @mcofficer
      @mcofficer Před 3 lety +5

      @@SMVJenks in the EU, citizens have the right to request all data that a company possesses about them. When one customer in germany made such a request, amazon gave him hundreds of hours of alexa recordings - **from the wrong person**. that's how much they care about the consumer, and that's how they take good care of your data...

    • @hisuianpitch
      @hisuianpitch Před 3 lety

      @@Wilker_uwu Windows 10 updates are only aggressive if you didn't update for like half a year

    • @Wilker_uwu
      @Wilker_uwu Před 3 lety

      @@hisuianpitch you're tellimg me that the frequent popups with no opt-out on Windows 7 are only agressive if i didn't update to Windows 10 for like half a year.
      and even then consent should be a requirement.

  • @rayhanlahdji
    @rayhanlahdji Před 3 lety +705

    Here's a useful list: Mozilla's "Privacy Not Included" Buyer's Guide.

    • @dauts
      @dauts Před 3 lety +21

      yeah it's pretty shocking

    • @srimangoel1318
      @srimangoel1318 Před 3 lety +28

      Awesome list really - breaks down the privacy risks of each product amazingly.

    • @dziban303
      @dziban303 Před 3 lety +20

      Mozilla ain't all that, either. Firefox actively pushes users to install a writing analyzing extension to catch grammar mistakes, et cetera-with the result that all of a person's writing in the browser gets sent to some third party for analysis ( *and datamining* ). Suggesting your users install a keylogger, great idea Mozilla

    • @noahvaldez5554
      @noahvaldez5554 Před 3 lety +6

      @@dziban303 Isn't it easy to opt out of though? I know it's not as good as opting-in, but going through settings they make some of the "callback" stuff clear to read and easy to disable. However, I remember there was a controversy where extensions didn't work unless you updated firefox, which you couldn't do without enabling "studies," but that only happened once. Or are you talking about something else?

    • @chris-hayes
      @chris-hayes Před 3 lety +53

      @@dziban303 those extensions have nothing to do with Mozilla. If your want to install Grammarly, that's your choice. Not sure why you blame Mozilla for your choice of extension. They also aren't keyloggers, you're misusing the term.

  • @emberchord
    @emberchord Před 3 lety +13

    I wish I could send this video to my german-speaking mother. I was mortified when she told me that she bought three at once lol.

  • @HunterHogan
    @HunterHogan Před 3 lety +63

    "We don't know what they will do with that data." Wait, what? Have you already forgotten Facebook and the 2016 election?

    • @wmurd
      @wmurd Před 3 lety +1

      what about it? (also I'm not from us - what use I could be? not being a spy or a rocket scientist...)

    • @PostScarcitytCat
      @PostScarcitytCat Před 3 lety +8

      @@wmurd Idk about the US but in the UK the conservative party got their hands on some of Facebook's data (thanks to Cambridge Analytica) and used it to send targeted/personalised ads to people during the Brexit referendum (and general election).

    • @antonberglund117
      @antonberglund117 Před 3 lety

      You know that Trump just copied Obama? They used the same trick.

    • @Cecil_Augus
      @Cecil_Augus Před 3 lety

      @@wmurd The republican party alongside with Cambr.idge Analy.tica and Facebook used people's data to manipulate election in Trump's favour.

  • @afuu794
    @afuu794 Před 3 lety +581

    "What they might do with that information is still a mystery"
    *Its for money.* Mystery solved.

    • @ArtemisScribe
      @ArtemisScribe Před 3 lety +55

      Money is the end result of what they do with your data, it still doesn't tell you what they're doing with your data in order to get that money. "How are you going to fix my car?" "Money" sure you're gonna pay your mechanic when they've fixed your car, but they haven't answered your question on what they're actually going to do to your vehicle.

    • @thecompanioncube4211
      @thecompanioncube4211 Před 3 lety +24

      It's ultimately money sure. But that's not the 'goal'. The goal is complete market control. With every aspect of our lives channeled through a singular ecosystem and every recommendation, every suggestion decided FOR you nd not BY you.

    • @PR2k9
      @PR2k9 Před 3 lety +3

      @@thecompanioncube4211agreed. Money is just a means to control. Money provides control. Data provides control. More than both data and money these companies want control.

    • @LaVaZ000
      @LaVaZ000 Před 3 lety +1

      So they will do it's for money, congratulations.

    • @uhhhhh262
      @uhhhhh262 Před 3 lety +1

      Money is the byproduct of this massive data grab.

  • @WengChoongChan
    @WengChoongChan Před 3 lety +79

    She activated my Google Assistant when she said "okay Google" 😂

  • @Jesse__H
    @Jesse__H Před 3 lety +5

    What Orwell failed to predict is that we would happily buy the surveillance devices ourselves 🤷‍♂️

  • @feketefeher
    @feketefeher Před 3 lety

    i’m so glad for this Open Source series here on Vox. please keep them coming and reflect on current issues (as much as possible)! i really feel
    people should get info on these in a much more understandable way. i am really concerned what could become of these things in the future.

  • @timmaltekrugler2873
    @timmaltekrugler2873 Před 3 lety +868

    Data privacy is not a joke, Jim. Millions of people suffer every year. - Dwight K. Schrute

    • @Sneaker3719
      @Sneaker3719 Před 3 lety +27

      That's a misquote. He was talking about identity theft.

    • @GothBatty
      @GothBatty Před 3 lety +5

      Who is that

    • @9s346
      @9s346 Před 3 lety +14

      @@GothBatty A hard working employee

    • @shamiksinha4808
      @shamiksinha4808 Před 3 lety +9

      @@Sneaker3719 r/whoooooooooosh

    • @Sneaker3719
      @Sneaker3719 Před 3 lety +4

      @@GothBatty
      A character from the Office. It's apparently a good show, but I've never watched.

  • @paolob.5667
    @paolob.5667 Před 3 lety +162

    "when it first arrived from Amazon, I didn't know what it was"
    Man, how many memes started like that

  • @Explains
    @Explains Před 3 lety +17

    *Santa Claus:*
    He knows when you're sleeping
    He knows when you're awake
    He's knows whether you've been good or bad
    So be good! For heaven's sake
    *Smart speakers in Russia:*
    It knows when you're sleeping
    It knows when you're awake
    It knows whether you've been good or bad
    So be good! For heaven's sake
    *Or go to gulag.*

  • @cb235
    @cb235 Před 3 lety +9

    00:32 Amazon released what would become one of the greatest memes of all time

  • @ferrerorocher4013
    @ferrerorocher4013 Před 3 lety +301

    We are inviting surveillance into our home.

    • @DOLsenior
      @DOLsenior Před 3 lety +7

      That's pretty much the gist of it.

    • @Cheetorblz
      @Cheetorblz Před 3 lety +8

      Yeah, sort of like having servants in days gone by. You can see how the wealthy were concerned their privacy was being compromised by having all these servants making their life easier. Get a grip people.

    • @dylanschmidt9056
      @dylanschmidt9056 Před 3 lety +17

      @@Cheetorblz Servants didn't pool their information in centralized servers where, voluntarily or involuntarily, it might fall into the hands of a variety of hostile forces. Furthermore, those aristocrats were afraid of democratic revolution, whereas we're concerned about demagogues manipulating people's anxieties and fears to seize power or tyrannical governments crushing dissent. And in Amazon's case, the information wouldn't even need to change hands, given their attacks on labour rights.

    • @Cheetorblz
      @Cheetorblz Před 3 lety +6

      @@dylanschmidt9056 yeah, like they are going to manipulate my fear of rain tomorrow.
      You are living in an adventure world of your own invention.

    • @AmiCestLaVie
      @AmiCestLaVie Před 3 lety +11

      With smartphones, we already have been

  • @simguy97
    @simguy97 Před 3 lety +198

    Never understood why Alexa or Google assistant is provided as a feature in headphones...I only want good audio quality!

    • @looming_
      @looming_ Před 3 lety +22

      Not everyone shares your opinion obviously.

    • @starboysuniverse9956
      @starboysuniverse9956 Před 3 lety +1

      bro i like google so your opinions are not relevant

    • @DOLsenior
      @DOLsenior Před 3 lety

      Cool channel icon!

    • @casperguo7177
      @casperguo7177 Před 3 lety

      Cuz hand free phone calls are real blessings

    • @CityLifeinAmerica
      @CityLifeinAmerica Před 3 lety +1

      @@starboysuniverse9956 The phone would handle Google/Alexa/Siri. Not the headphones themselves.

  • @leechCat
    @leechCat Před 3 lety +13

    *The FBI has been real silent since this came out.*

  • @kevray
    @kevray Před 3 lety +20

    I like how people are afraid of their Alexas spying on them when they already have a device that can spy on them worse. The phone.

    • @Roxor128
      @Roxor128 Před 3 lety

      The worst thing about that is that it doesn't have to be that way. There is no reason why a smartphone needs to be designed to collect data on its users. Google and co just chose to make them like that. There are a couple of smaller companies out there proving it by making phones that don't spy on you, but you have to pay a hefty premium for them (because no economies of scale and no data collection to subsidise the hardware), and they have their own, much more limited, software ecosystem.

  • @DJDiarrhea
    @DJDiarrhea Před 3 lety +72

    Atleast someone has to listen to me swearing at my google home

  • @Justin3
    @Justin3 Před 3 lety +87

    Data being sold to advertisers - Us humans has started to become commodities ourselves once again.

    • @zelenskysboot361
      @zelenskysboot361 Před 3 lety +11

      We always have been.

    • @TheAmericanAmerican
      @TheAmericanAmerican Před 3 lety +20

      Capitalism? Yea, definitely Capitalism.

    • @lenn939
      @lenn939 Před 3 lety +3

      You should watch “the social dilemma” on Netflix

    • @thePronto
      @thePronto Před 3 lety +2

      If the product/service is free, you are the product.

    • @ehsan_kia
      @ehsan_kia Před 3 lety

      It shows no one here knows how any of this works if you think they sell your data directly to advertisers.

  • @simonibrahim9403
    @simonibrahim9403 Před 3 lety +2

    I really wish Vox spent more time talking about Apple’s side. And their starkly different approach of “the product is the product, not the consumer”. For example, the Amazon Echo Dot is $50. The Apple HomePod mini is $99. The Echo Dot uses your questions to target ads, analyze your data, and tries to sell you products. HomePod does none of that.

  • @DylanODonnell
    @DylanODonnell Před 3 lety +71

    You lumped Apple into the infographics but didn’t extrapolate their stance.

    • @ravenizer
      @ravenizer Před 3 lety +34

      Because unlike the rest, Apple's devices parse most of the text on device. It's one of the biggest reasons they cost more. And secondly, they take privacy super seriously. They don't care about ad dollars and Siri improvement based recordings are opt-in, which is presented to you as an option when you set up Siri or any new Siri enabled devices. I don't want to come across as a fan boy, but Vox had no business putting Apple in here; which is why they had nothing to say about it.

    • @KhanPiesseONE
      @KhanPiesseONE Před 3 lety +7

      @@ravenizer That may be true, but Apple still collects vast amounts of user data from iPhones, they use it for quality assurance purposes but that doesn’t mean that they’re not doing anything wrong with that information. Apple is so secretive that we have no way of knowing what exactly they do with our data. At least with Google and Amazon we know what they are doing.

    • @beelzemobabbity
      @beelzemobabbity Před 3 lety +6

      @@ravenizer yeah, apple may be hella overpriced, but I’ll admit they feel way more secure.

    • @mho...
      @mho... Před 3 lety

      apple doesnt matter!

    • @Cobalt985
      @Cobalt985 Před 3 lety +6

      @@KhanPiesseONE I honestly, truly trust Apple more because their products cost so much that they don't have a NEED to use your data, and they advertise this. By default their devices 100% collect far less data.

  • @pietvanleeuwen110
    @pietvanleeuwen110 Před 3 lety +70

    Me:
    Watching this on my google phone, in a room with a google home mini, two chromecasts and three smart lights
    👁️👄👁️

    • @hilal_younus
      @hilal_younus Před 3 lety +7

      Bruh You put your entire ecosystem in one company which has literally the worst privacy policy (except for Facebook and possibly Amazon) , Like it would’ve been better if you had been in an ecosystem which has a good stance on privacy

    • @extrapolate
      @extrapolate Před 3 lety +9

      That’s why I prefer apple. Their business model barely profits from ads and selling personal data. Basically they don’t make money off of invading my privacy, I pay them upfront for that and I’m ok with that.

    • @vijaykumar-to5vd
      @vijaykumar-to5vd Před 3 lety +1

      same hero bro. with google home mini and a chromecast and two lights

    • @bluedreamkush2392
      @bluedreamkush2392 Před 3 lety +2

      @@extrapolate yeah but their products are insanely expensive and they are pro censorship which is something I hate about apple.

    • @dark12ain
      @dark12ain Před 3 lety +1

      @@extrapolate yeah but apple is too expensive for me nowadays, also I can't just download stuff strait from the internet like I can on my pixel also apple phones don't offer expandable storage witch is a big deal for me

  • @simonkempe1212
    @simonkempe1212 Před 3 lety +10

    the fact that the question "this is a deal breaker, maybe you shouldn't buy one" doesn't even come up. Means that they've already won. Imagine if we began to place a shiver of responsibility on the consumers that after all have decided time and time again that they don't care about privacy if they get the marshmallow now

  • @andybaldman
    @andybaldman Před 3 lety +10

    Remember when Google's motto was 'Don't Be Evil'?

  • @Whatsayoutuber
    @Whatsayoutuber Před 3 lety +4

    One time my friend and I played back recordings from my alexa and discovered that our recorded voices were almost indistinguishable, while our real life voices were quite different

  • @jorrinvynck
    @jorrinvynck Před 3 lety +52

    I’m just waiting for the next scandal to be revealed, so that people finally take the power away from those companies

    • @TheAmericanAmerican
      @TheAmericanAmerican Před 3 lety +12

      Ha!!! As if.
      The only way the people will take the power away from these capitalist monsters is by force.
      The corporations bought our country decades ago. We the people are only now slowly waking up...

  • @Mr_Ahir_977
    @Mr_Ahir_977 Před 3 lety +150

    Before buying any technology or gadgets ask yourself "Do i really need this?"

    • @rdvgrd6
      @rdvgrd6 Před 3 lety +18

      Okay mr obvious

    • @sidharthjagan3449
      @sidharthjagan3449 Před 3 lety +11

      Capitalism: am i joke to you?

    • @gameofbros4728
      @gameofbros4728 Před 3 lety +3

      And I’m answer every time is, hmmmm actually yes I do need this, I like to turn on my smart light from my bed and tell Alexa to lock my door.

    • @Toon444
      @Toon444 Před 3 lety +1

      @@Vii905 Wow so scary they are gonna personalize ads, whatever shall I do. 🙄 You make it seem like they want to sell your credit card details on the dark web

    • @FlowersInHisHair
      @FlowersInHisHair Před 3 lety +1

      I mean literally everyone asks themselves that before a tech purchase, this is not a unique insight particular to smartspeakers

  • @FinancialShinanigan
    @FinancialShinanigan Před 3 lety +15

    Just shows how desensitized we are with our own privacy when only 47% and 31% find those things unacceptable

  • @abuferasabdullah
    @abuferasabdullah Před 3 lety

    SHORT & AMAZING EPISODE 👍🏼

  • @aaaaaaa_aaaaaaaaaa
    @aaaaaaa_aaaaaaaaaa Před 3 lety +63

    It took y'all nearly a decade to realize smart speakers invade your privacy?

    • @FlowersInHisHair
      @FlowersInHisHair Před 3 lety +5

      No I think everyone knew it from the start

    • @zelenskysboot361
      @zelenskysboot361 Před 3 lety +3

      The world is full of lemmings

    • @fwogboy
      @fwogboy Před 3 lety

      @@FlowersInHisHair people are gullible. its important to remind everyone these things.

  • @ValdemarDeMatos
    @ValdemarDeMatos Před 3 lety +134

    Isn’t this already known?

    • @RealityBoat
      @RealityBoat Před 3 lety +11

      Obviously data privacy is important but I don't feel that threatened when it only records when you give a command. Besides it's some random underpayed employee surveying a small portion of the recordings to find bugs. The real issue is that if they are using your data for ads we should get payed royalties

    • @Dan-do2op
      @Dan-do2op Před 3 lety +3

      Yes, but this is classic Vox “making things look worse than it is and using fancy infographics”

    • @FindecanorNotGmail
      @FindecanorNotGmail Před 3 lety +3

      @@RealityBoat It also records everything else in the room while someone is giving it a command.

    • @thecompanioncube4211
      @thecompanioncube4211 Před 3 lety +8

      Yes it is. But new privacy breaching "features" are becoming opt-out instead of opt-in. Which means people are almost forced to give up privacy as the opt-out options are hidden deep in settings and are never fully explained

    • @ValdemarDeMatos
      @ValdemarDeMatos Před 3 lety

      @@thecompanioncube4211
      Well, at least in Europe legally, companies that sell these kind of devices can’t do that. GDPR requires an active acceptance by the user to Opt-in before the user can Opt-out.
      Although some companies have no problem paying huge fines as they violate these laws.

  • @joermnyc
    @joermnyc Před 3 lety +7

    It’s the same as “smart” TVs... it’s there to mine you for your personal data so someone can sell you something via targeted advertising.

  • @Custmzir
    @Custmzir Před 3 lety

    I actually find personalised ads really useful and have kept it turned on

  • @napoleonibonaparte7198
    @napoleonibonaparte7198 Před 3 lety +30

    At what cost?
    *Everything.*

  • @brothercharanus1927
    @brothercharanus1927 Před 3 lety +107

    "It steals 100$ worth of information for 12 seconds."

  • @maedusa
    @maedusa Před 3 lety

    All jokes aside, this is what I love about Vox. I have a smart speaker, and several Amazon products, so this was very helpful just to know in general, with solid information and a source.

  • @andybaldman
    @andybaldman Před 3 lety

    It's amazing that this video is informative to anyone. Everyone should know these devices are doing this.

  • @AdamGCurtis
    @AdamGCurtis Před 3 lety +45

    Imagine paying to be spied on

    • @donotcareatall
      @donotcareatall Před 3 lety

      You mean protected

    • @TurnaboutAdam
      @TurnaboutAdam Před 3 lety +1

      What did you use to post this on?

    • @AdamGCurtis
      @AdamGCurtis Před 3 lety +1

      ​@@TurnaboutAdam Corporations aren't your friends, friend

    • @biplabkumarghosh6300
      @biplabkumarghosh6300 Před 3 lety

      @@AdamGCurtis They aren't your enemies, either

    • @AdamGCurtis
      @AdamGCurtis Před 3 lety +1

      @@biplabkumarghosh6300 They're literally infringing on people's privacy my dude

  • @Jegrygerfede
    @Jegrygerfede Před 3 lety +99

    I can’t see why they are useful

    • @gabbypalmer3301
      @gabbypalmer3301 Před 3 lety +54

      I can see why they are useful for someone like my grandfather who is disabled and can make calls if he falls down with no one home, or do other things if he left his phone in the other room, but I agree that they dont have much of a purpose for the general public

    • @allansh828
      @allansh828 Před 3 lety +1

      they are super popular among old people

    • @mosijahi3096
      @mosijahi3096 Před 3 lety +4

      @@allansh828I don’t know where you live, but theses Devices are popular among other sectors of populations besides older people.

    • @woutervn
      @woutervn Před 3 lety +7

      It's quite useful for smarthomes. Controlling lights and stuff

    • @mrpw1402
      @mrpw1402 Před 3 lety +3

      My main use is home automation

  • @Dexy83
    @Dexy83 Před 3 lety

    I'm glad you used Alexa through out this video after the start. For some reason, my Google assistant speakers (3 in my house) have started answering when videos say "Hey/OK Google" I need to fix this. It's annoying.

  • @britishthought4018
    @britishthought4018 Před 3 lety

    In the UK and EU there is GDDPR, and also DPA in the uk which means that companies have to say what data is being used for.

  • @FreekToTakex
    @FreekToTakex Před 3 lety +112

    Read The Age of Surveillance Capitalism if you want to learn more. Highly recommended.

  • @stonks2929
    @stonks2929 Před 3 lety +355

    "Ok google, say Alexa, say Ok google repeat"
    Google: Alexa, say ok google repeat
    Alexa: Ok google repeat
    Google: ....
    Alexa: ....
    And they went on from that day

    • @anp1609
      @anp1609 Před 3 lety +11

      your genius frightens me

    • @thegamerkhan
      @thegamerkhan Před 3 lety +7

      I had to read that a thousand times to understand it

  • @fburton8
    @fburton8 Před 3 lety +3

    "... and while I soon forget my question, Amazon remembers it." So if you ask Alexa what was my last question...?

  • @lindsayryan3143
    @lindsayryan3143 Před 3 lety +5

    When she said “Okay Google ...” my google speaker answered
    Love a little heart attack moment

  • @fredmon.
    @fredmon. Před 3 lety +18

    I like how this got recommended to me five minutes after I just had a conversation about this 👀

  • @Electric__
    @Electric__ Před 3 lety +6

    Alexa is an actually interesting device tbf

  • @dawn9340
    @dawn9340 Před 3 lety

    I wish this was longer.

  • @ryand2389
    @ryand2389 Před 3 lety

    Thank you for keeping the journalism real

  • @doesntmatter6827
    @doesntmatter6827 Před 3 lety +25

    Buying anything from Google is like paying for your private information to be sold

    • @potfdron
      @potfdron Před 3 lety

      An alternative???

    • @sembarangwes549
      @sembarangwes549 Před 3 lety +12

      But... U r using CZcams rn

    • @g00rb4u
      @g00rb4u Před 3 lety +11

      You've commented on CZcams - owned by Alphabet who also owns Google.
      You've done so with a Gmail account.
      Alphabet and its subsidiaries are already profiting off you.

    • @exaucemayunga22
      @exaucemayunga22 Před 3 lety

      Or USING Google, which tou already use everyday

    • @Lightningflamingice
      @Lightningflamingice Před 3 lety

      @Jao Bai Dun you dont but what the guy is saying is that the reason CZcams is free is because the data they collect (what type of videos you watch) is used to target advertising towards you. Of course, their algorithm will only look for generalized patterns (e.x. watch a lot of gaming videos? Here's an ad for Xbox because we know you're more likely to buy it compared to the average viewer), and going on incognito or turning off data collection in privacy settings will turn this off

  • @leizylromero
    @leizylromero Před 3 lety +49

    I have a google smart speaker. Google was offering free smart speakers for CZcams premium members. I guess the data is so valuable that they’re just giving them away. I rarely use the speaker.

    • @Cobalt985
      @Cobalt985 Před 3 lety

      @@luxcyrus3754 Yes, CZcams Music is great. More music than literally any other platform, and has great suggestions. But if you already find all your music on another service feel free to stay there.

    • @edwardiiiofengland9337
      @edwardiiiofengland9337 Před 3 lety

      We use ours as an alarm and a speaker. That’s... it.

  • @aarhanaadib8021
    @aarhanaadib8021 Před 3 lety

    And here we are making Alexa, Siri ,Bixby and Assistant talk to each other and argue

  • @OrganicAct
    @OrganicAct Před měsícem

    Another great Vox video as always. i’ve never liked the smart speaker concept. While it’s due to the privacy issues, I also have issues with their usability. I got a smart speaker from Google as part of promotion from a hardware store. It’s annoying to use and misses morethan it hits. It does do good in streaming Spotify, though.

  • @JackStrood
    @JackStrood Před 3 lety +33

    Literally EVERYONE'S smart devices have just replied to this video...

    • @thePronto
      @thePronto Před 3 lety

      Not mine...I unplugged it months ago. It was a gift.

  • @gwen5437
    @gwen5437 Před 3 lety +32

    The real cost of smart speakers:
    Your privacy.

  • @samuelmassicotte9645
    @samuelmassicotte9645 Před 3 lety

    Ive watched so many memes about Alexa that it's the first time I actually hear the commercial

  • @pupasarus
    @pupasarus Před 3 lety

    Half the time Alexa doesn't understand your question. So big deal.

  • @saxyrep1
    @saxyrep1 Před 3 lety +56

    Better title for the vid : Reason why you should stay away from a smart speaker.

    • @kingpopaul
      @kingpopaul Před 3 lety +1

      'smart' anything as they are either vulnerabilities or spying on you, or both.

  • @razijukes9435
    @razijukes9435 Před 3 lety +9

    Imagine all the things our smart phones know about us 🤯

  • @sumnerd7511
    @sumnerd7511 Před 3 lety +1

    Am I the only one who has never seen the actual Amazon Echo commercial because I only watch the memes?

  • @kialuvsyoo
    @kialuvsyoo Před 3 lety +43

    I was outraged when I saw the one targeted specifically to kids.

  • @Leafeon-gd5en
    @Leafeon-gd5en Před 3 lety +4

    Seeing all this new technology you really start realizing how our generation is living in the dreamed of cyberpunk era

  • @VivekBabbar
    @VivekBabbar Před 3 lety +13

    Who else turned off their Google Ad Personalization settings?

  • @justanotherguywithoutamous5788

    Vox: the real cost of smart speakers
    Almost a million people: interesting....

  • @mihirparikh
    @mihirparikh Před 3 lety

    Maybe it would be like catching the words of surrounding and then process that information to improve their personalization services.

  • @chiefpriest6041
    @chiefpriest6041 Před 3 lety +14

    Good thing I've never been a fan of these smart speakers to begin with.

  • @uss_04
    @uss_04 Před 3 lety +5

    I got like 8 of these. Without asking.
    “Hey here’s a cheap thing that young people who use computers like”

  • @taekwondoboy23
    @taekwondoboy23 Před 3 lety +1

    Dang it, you guys activated my speaker 🤣

  • @kishananuraag
    @kishananuraag Před 3 lety +1

    I just ordered Alexa and this video pops up in my recommendations.

  • @h.m.1318
    @h.m.1318 Před 3 lety +6

    I kinda want to buy one now it's nice to think that someone has an interest in my life. I lowkey flattered that someone spying on me ( :

  • @bmwmrt
    @bmwmrt Před 3 lety +22

    "The things you own, end up owning you." Tyler Durden

    • @jmckendry84
      @jmckendry84 Před 3 lety +1

      Quoting Fight Club, wow, so deep

  • @ABHISHEKKUMAR-td4cs
    @ABHISHEKKUMAR-td4cs Před 3 lety +1

    Eagerly waiting for Vox's 2020 rewind

  • @ayushjha5360
    @ayushjha5360 Před 3 lety

    You could have made it better by adding more insights, i didnt received any valuable insights except the options to opt out and delete recordings... but indeed good work!!! keep it up. am fan of Vox since two days.

  • @thomasalder850
    @thomasalder850 Před 3 lety +4

    Every one in five homes....are being surveilled 24 hours a day.

  • @unknown0042
    @unknown0042 Před 3 lety +5

    Honestly I don't care if someone is judging my playlist or my confusion about a subject

  • @Vexwisval28
    @Vexwisval28 Před 3 lety

    That moment when you don't care "as" much because you have a burning hate towards ads and have never been convinced by one, nor ever bought something through one

  • @BlueCleanClamp
    @BlueCleanClamp Před 3 lety +1

    LOL 0:21 it activated my Siri

  • @nonnnth
    @nonnnth Před 3 lety +7

    Out of them, I trust Apple the most.

  • @PashaGamingYT
    @PashaGamingYT Před 3 lety +12

    The title is what made me realise why they're so cheap
    Yeah I don't need privacy, I need super cheap tech.

  • @TheRajshikhar
    @TheRajshikhar Před 3 lety

    it was really helpful...I just turned off ad personalization...wasn't knowing there was something like that.