Big Brother Is Watching ?: No Kindle in My House

I was reading a plot summary of "The Hunger Games" online, when I came across the following:

“Amazon also revealed that Collins had written 29 of the 100 most-highlighted passages in Kindle ebooks -- and on a separate Amazon list of recently-highlighted passages, Collins had written 17 of the top 20.”

Am I understanding this correctly? Someone is monitoring what passages are being highlighted on Kindle?

So if you're using Kindle, you are connected to a monitoring site in the Cloud?

It's bad enough that there is probably a computer list somewhere listing all of the books you buy online or at a major store -- but on Kindle they can actually monitor which passages you're highlighting.

To me this is an incredible invasion of privacy. How many here are aware of this?

I do not like Kindle and its ilk because of the additional EMF (electro-magnetic frequency) poisoning it presents -- who needs that.

Plus I prefer physical books I can mark (privately) and keep. Can you access Kindle books that you've bought without being connected to the Cloud? Is it something permanently downloaded on a hard drive?

But does this truly surprise you? They monitor you on the computer; websites you visit, trends in your searches and even personal information. This should come as no surprise. I have an ipod touch, everything I type and search for on their safari browser is liscensed by apple the moment you tic that "I agree to terms and conditions" box. Heck, I dont even technically own an ipod touch. Im on lease with it

Originally posted by AaronWilson
I dont even technically own an ipod touch. Im on lease with it

Bingo, that's the original idea that Apple had and is now being adopted by major application developers.

Originally posted by AaronWilson
But does this truly surprise you? They monitor you on the computer; websites you visit, trends in your searches and even personal information. This should come as no surprise. I have an ipod touch, everything I type and search for on their safari browser is liscensed by apple the moment you tic that "I agree to terms and conditions" box. Heck, I dont even technically own an ipod touch. Im on lease with it

Yes, I know there's a record of all searches and the sites visited, but passages highlighted in a book?!

I don't have an ipod either (and have no real desire to, they know exactly where that ipod is -- talk about tracking) -- had no idea you can only lease it -- not own it.

Sounds rather invasive. What does their terms of service say? Do they even explain the technology they employ?

Ditto for cable TV, they can readily monitor/log what you have watched.

If you so much as visit, much less participate in, ATS I am confidant you are known on several databases This is not a reflection on ATS.

Originally posted by AuranVector
I do not like Kindle and its ilk because of the additional EMF (electro-magnetic frequency) poisoning it presents -- who needs that.

Is that even a real issue with the ones that have a paper like display? THey aren't backlit and require very little power.

But thanks for the heads up. I don't like people seeing what I'm highlighting one bit!

reply to post by AuranVector


Tracking doesnt bother me. Its only when im off grid that im totaly off grid. When in a town, it doesnt bother me much. I know they know my regular stops. As for the kindle, think of it this way. Imagine you have three political activists, now they all have kindle fires. Say they start reading pro communist books, highlighting good points in a verbal conflict, feds will want to be able to at least note who may or may not be a troublemaker. Thats just one example of the use of that technology. Its not inherintly evil, just send chills down our spines when we realise our privacy even in our own homes is dwindleing.

Originally posted by oghamxx
Sounds rather invasive. What does their terms of service say? Do they even explain the technology they employ?

Ditto for cable TV, they can readily monitor/log what you have watched.

If you so much as visit, much less participate in, ATS I am confidant you are known on several databases This is not a reflection on ATS.

Hopefully, some Kindle owner will answer your questions.

I'm sure cable TV keeps a record of what is watched, and probably sells the data to rating organizations.

A site like ATS would definitely be monitored. TPTB would be stupid not to.

Now I'm wondering if someone can access all of one's emails remotely? They don't need to have access to your physical computer? If that's true, it's really alarming.

Originally posted by The Cusp

Originally posted by AuranVector
I do not like Kindle and its ilk because of the additional EMF (electro-magnetic frequency) poisoning it presents -- who needs that.

Is that even a real issue with the ones that have a paper like display? THey aren't backlit and require very little power.

There are so many Kindle clones now, maybe someone who is more tech saavy could answer that.

But thanks for the heads up. I don't like people seeing what I'm highlighting one bit!

Thank you. Good to know I alerted someone.

Did not know this. Thanks

Actually. I'm. On my kindle fire now

I knew with amazon's whispersync that bookmarks, highlights, and notes synced with all your devices but I didn't realised that they kept statistics on all that.......not that surprised though.

Originally posted by AaronWilson
reply to post by AuranVector

 

Tracking doesnt bother me. Its only when im off grid that im totaly off grid. When in a town, it doesnt bother me much. I know they know my regular stops.

As for the kindle, think of it this way. Imagine you have three political activists, now they all have kindle fires. Say they start reading pro communist books, highlighting good points in a verbal conflict, feds will want to be able to at least note who may or may not be a troublemaker. Thats just one example of the use of that technology. Its not inherintly evil, just send chills down our spines when we realise our privacy even in our own homes is dwindling.

Yes, that's EXACTLY my point. They have an idea of who the potential troublemakers are. And now they can round them up whenever they want to without due process.

Originally posted by XcytaBill
Did not know this. Thanks

Actually. I'm. On my kindle fire now

I knew with amazon's whispersync that bookmarks, highlights, and notes synced with all your devices but I didn't realised that they kept statistics on all that.......not that surprised though.

Can you access a previously downloaded book on Kindle without a connection?

Do you have to be connected to the Cloud to be able to read your book?

Do you own this book or are you merely leasing it?

reply to post by AuranVector


You need wi-fi to download and to sync

Your books are stored on their cloud but to read them you have to download the to your device.

You would only download a book again if you deleted from your device (which I do a lot only 8gb storage)

Yes you own but you can borrow books from public library.

Once the books are on your device you don't need wi-fi. to read them

Originally posted by XcytaBill
reply to post by AuranVector

 

You need wi-fi to download and to sync

Your books are stored on their cloud but to read them you have to download the to your device.

You would only download a book again if you deleted from your device (which I do a lot only 8gb storage)

Yes you own but you can borrow books from public library.

Once the books are on your device you don't need wi-fi. to read them

Thank you for answering my questions. Does Kindle have a USB port? Can you use a quick drive to store more?

reply to post by AuranVector


Just mini usb for charging and connecting to your Pc

don't know if you can move books via usb I never tried

Kingston makes a wi-fi drive that works with it and ipad

I mainly read books that are recommended from ATS forums so TPTB already knows what I'm reading but I still keep my tinfoil hat firmly affixed while using my kindle.

Originally posted by XcytaBill
reply to post by AuranVector

 

Just mini usb for charging and connecting to your Pc

don't know if you can move books via usb I never tried

Kingston makes a wi-fi drive that works with it and ipad

I mainly read books that are recommended from ATS forums so TPTB already knows what I'm reading but I still keep my tinfoil hat firmly affixed while using my kindle.

Thanks again. If you can connect to your PC, there may be a way to data transfer. So you don't have to delete books when you've reached 8 gb. And if you can transfer it to a PC, you can probably transfer it to another form of storage -- unless these are encrypted with a code that blocks that. Hmmm....