If you own Amazon Alexa devices you have until June 8 to opt-out or you will automatically be included to share a bit of your internet with neighbors. The link below explains it and gives instructions on how to disable and what devices are included. I have no dog in the fight. As far as I know, Amazon hasn't shared much info on this with their customers.
Saw that today. Thankfully the only device I have that has anything to with Amazon is my Ring security system which apparently is not part of this sidewalk program. [Reply]
Fuck that Alexa/Siri shit. If I'm going to be spied on, it damned sure won't be by something I actually paid for (tax dollars obviously excluded). [Reply]
Originally Posted by tredadda:
Saw that today. Thankfully the only device I have that has anything to with Amazon is my Ring security system which apparently is not part of this sidewalk program.
Some are. A friend of mine has some Ring floodlight/spotlight cams that are listed as enabled, but she can't find a way to opt-out for them. She's hoping they are "enabled" but not part of the auto opt-in process. [Reply]
Originally Posted by tredadda:
Saw that today. Thankfully the only device I have that has anything to with Amazon is my Ring security system which apparently is not part of this sidewalk program.
There are several Ring devices that are enabled. You should probably make sure it's turned off if you can. [Reply]
Originally Posted by MTG#10:
The "only opt out until June 8th" is misleading. You can disable this feature at any time.
It's a tad misleading, yes.
You have until June 8th to turn it off before it gets turned on automatically. You can disable it at any time but until you do, it will be on after June 8th by default. [Reply]
Originally Posted by MTG#10:
The "only opt out until June 8th" is misleading. You can disable this feature at any time.
What's more misleading is Scamazon pulling this without informing members in an email or pop-up when you open the website. They were banking on nobody being the wiser. They full well know things such as this don't go well with the public. [Reply]
Originally Posted by srvy:
What's more misleading is Scamazon pulling this without informing members in an email or pop-up when you open the website. They were banking on nobody being the wiser. They full well know things such as this don't go well with the public.
Yeah, kind of shady to create an implicit opt-in service like this without announcing it at all. You'd think if it were really the game changer their white paper outlines, they'd be telling the world how wonderful and innovative it is. [Reply]
At one point my wife had the Siri thing activated on her phone. It triggered on something in a conversation (not the word "Siri"), and then a bit later it triggered on something on TV (again, not the word "Siri"). I took the phone, deactivated the app and told her to never use it again. That seriously creeped me out. [Reply]
Originally Posted by htismaqe:
Yeah, kind of shady to create an implicit opt-in service like this without announcing it at all. You'd think if it were really the game changer their white paper outlines, they'd be telling the world how wonderful and innovative it is.
I received an email last year and disabled it then. I just looked and the email is from 11/24 and states they'll be turning on Sidewalk "later this year" which only leaves a few weeks so I shut it off immediately. It must have been delayed for some reason. It would have been nice of them to resend the email I suppose.
It's not effective if everyone turns it off so I'm not real surprised they didn't resend. [Reply]
