Huffington Post - 9 Household Items That Could Be Spying On You

Eye catching short article from Huffington Post. Basically it says that everyday things can be hacked and personal information can be obtained. The list .... Your television; cable box; dishwasher, clothes dryer; toaster; clock radio, remote control; lights; heat; AC; security alarms; insulin pumps; pacemakers; smartphones; tablets; and computers.

Huffington Post - Nine Household Items that Could Be Spying On You

For Americans concerned about their privacy, the NSA data grabs are daunting, but what about the data grabs happening inside your own home, perpetrated not by the government but by your coffee machine?

Consider every appliance and every piece of home electronics that you own. Does it gather data about how you use it? Does it connect to the Internet? If so, it could be used to spy on you. Your mobile devices, your TV, and now various other types of home appliances can be wired into a network that can track you. If those networks are hacked, information about your habits and behaviors could be available to people with nefarious goals. The same technological innovation that empowers us also makes us vulnerable to those who would exploit such advances against us.

reply to post by FlyersFan


Do you mean the technology we buy to make our lives easier are the tools used by our government to enslave us? I believe it.

Of course we likely have nothing to fear. Our government can be trusted, right? I'm sure they're just doing this to protect us.

It is inevitable that someday we will live in a bigbrother society, if we keep upgrading our technology.
Today technology is "smart", which means it can modify it's behavior so that it fits our needs. But this requires it to have some memory and the ability to process said memory.

So far so god, technology gets smarter, I get my coffee faster in the morning. Everybody wins.
Perhaps then somebody from the coffee company wants to buy the data in the machine from the supplier, so that they can better marked their products.
This is where it starts getting tricky, or perhaps a bit annoying, cause the technology is still being developed, so it's not perfect. It will make mistakes, and it will send you more commercials than you wished to receive - but that part is bound to get better.

The big issue with it, is when a government starts data mining. Making statistics where they calculate the probability of you being a terrorist, based on how many cups of coffee you drink, what your favorite books are and where you go on holiday.
That is dangerous, but it is happening already.

Like with the commercials, the government or different intelligence agencies might get better to find their targets the more sophisticated the technology gets. But it is a very totalitarian approach to take, and perhaps more power than any government can handle.

If the government wants to rig my toaster to send info on how many times I make toast, why don't they just ask me, I'll tell them.

reply to post by rickymouse


Because you might be making terrorist-toast - and they don't want you to know, that they're on to you.

reply to post by FlyersFan

2. Your Cable Box

Companies including Google and Verizon are reportedly developing cable boxes with built-in video cameras and motion sensors.

It will be interesting to see how many people will trade their privacy for seemingly free stuff.

reply to post by FlyersFan


I wonder how many people will now choose NOT to use their smartphones in order to turn off their home lights, appliances and pay their bills? It sounded great in the beginning, but now...

It always amazes me that no one saw this, and so much more coming. No one on ATS will be surprised, but when I send this article to a bunch of people I know, there will inevitably be those who are shocked.

S&F FF.

Originally posted by Mads1987
reply to post by rickymouse

 

Because you might be making terrorist-toast - and they don't want you to know, that they're on to you.

They can tell the difference too. Terrorists usually like their toast a little charred from what I've heard.

Come to think of it, they seem to like everything burnt.

Originally posted by Zarniwoop
reply to post by FlyersFan

 

2. Your Cable Box

Companies including Google and Verizon are reportedly developing cable boxes with built-in video cameras and motion sensors.

It will be interesting to see how many people will trade their privacy for seemingly free stuff.

The lens and sensor have to have holes in the case to "see" through. So just tape over any opening that does not serve a known purpose, like the remote sensor, and tell them to kiss your hairy butt.

The problem though is that if the cable box collects data on what you watch there is no way you can stop that. But at least you can stop the direct spying.

Speaking of covering sensors, i've had the light sensors taped over on my phone and tablet since I got em and it doesn't seem to make a scrap of difference and the auto-brightness function still works fine, which I find both peculiar and worrying, i mean, if it still works with it covered then what else was it looking at.

reply to post by happykat39


That "put some tape over the lens" tip works . . . if you don't have children! I am constantly having to replace the smiley faces on my PC because my child has an obsession with taking it off!

It is sad that we have come to this. Our dependence on technology and the lack of ability to do things for ourselves has been the perfect combination to Big Brother's plan for total takeover of our nation. The other day I was charging my phone and had the interesting idea to see what would happen if I took the phone's battery off and the SIM card as well. I was shocked (and frightened) to see that the thing was still able to play music and, if I can best recall, dial my mother. It was still on! Freaky stuff!

Originally posted by Kmhotaru

That "put some tape over the lens" tip works . . . if you don't have children! I am constantly having to replace the smiley faces on my PC because my child has an obsession with taking it off!

Just a thought... but maybe don't use something as enticing as smiley faces?... Even i'd be enticed by smiley faces I was thinking maybe something repulsive but icky stuff just seems to magnetise children lol. Maybe try bland. The blandest most boring thing you can find. Or even paint if you never use the cam. Don't like to scaremonger but i'd be especially careful of possible cam hacks if there were kids running around.

Also the phone working sans battery and sim is pretty weird. Guess it kinds makes sense if there's an internal memory, very strange you were able to call out your mum, usually it's only emergency services. Though to be fair, mum's probably come under that title

You know these cctv cameras which are inside a little black dome? Do you think that the view is dark from inside? No it isn't and you can get the same black-looking perspex/plastic on the outside of your phone/tv cable box or anything.

Just because you have covered all the holes in the boxes of these devices does not mean they cannot see through the plastic cover itself.

Originally posted by qmantoo
You know these cctv cameras which are inside a little black dome? Do you think that the view is dark from inside? No it isn't and you can get the same black-looking perspex/plastic on the outside of your phone/tv cable box or anything.

Just because you have covered all the holes in the boxes of these devices does not mean they cannot see through the plastic cover itself.

edit on 19 Aug 2013 by qmantoo because: typo

If you know what you are doing you could open the box up and find the sensors and lenses and block them. Just experiment as you block them so you don't cover the receiving sensor for the remote control.

reply to post by melancholiflower


Haha, yes, you are right! I should have never used the smileys! I'll try some electrical tape instead.

Well. People used to laugh at this kind of "paranoia" and said such things would never happen, or be invented. Now that they exist people, people will say "Oh, the convenience these gadgets bring me outweigh any 'small' invasion of privacy. It's amazing how much privacy, and in the long run, freedom, people trade for "convenience". When the tasks the new spying gadgets replace were never really that much of a big deal, or difficult to accomplish without high tech crap.

Me? I have no TV. I have no X Box or cable.No coffee pots. No dishwasher. No smartphone. My appliances are all quite old, non digital. And I intend to keep them that way. This crap is getting out of control. My only means of personal invasion would be through my computer or cell phone, and my cell phone is pretty old, any data collected from it could only be minimal.

Low tech is the way to go.