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0 pointsspacelizard12y ago0 comments

>the web wouldn't exist then

This statement is ridiculous. The web was not originally designed to be an application platform, it moved that way because business pushed it in that direction. I know the vast majority of sites I visit don't use cookies or javascript for anything important, because I have both of those turned off by default anyway. It seems very obvious that the majority of cookies and javascript these days are being used for tracking purposes, i.e. things that don't benefit the user in any way and should probably be blocked for practical purposes.

>Being overly paranoid hurts innovation and limits what we can do.

This statement is also ridiculous. Being concerned about your own privacy isn't paranoia, it's self-preservation. We have all the reason to expect these companies to think twice before going forward with some innovation that could be potentially harmful, but it appears you want to encourage them not to do that. What you're actually saying is "companies having to worry about ethical issues limits what we can do," which is absolutely true, and this is not a negative thing.

To me the reality of this technology is more Idiocracy than anything. The marketing hype is that it's somehow a futuristic sci-fi fantasy device. It's just another way to sit on the couch watching TV and playing games.

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drzaiusapelord12y ago· 1 in thread

>To me the reality of this technology is more Idiocracy than anything.

You're aware we're discussing a game system designed for children, right? Its not some critique on society. Its mindless entertainment by design.

>but it appears you want to encourage them not to do that.

No, as I said this is a government regulatory issue. Attack your government for allowing these policies. I find it hugely hypocritical as well. You have a mobile OS duopoly by companies that are both horrible, horrible corporate citizens, yet the Kinect automatic person detector, which is stored locally for a game, is the thing people go apeshit over. This level of emotional reasoning isn't pretty, its counter-productive, and I suspect falls into politically correct and geek friendly MS bashing while Sony, Apple, and Google get largely free passes. I also feel there's this libertarian bent here in which we don't discuss proper regulations as solutions but wring our hands over the status quo of corporations being under-regulated and do this schoolmarm-ish "They shouldnt be doing that!" Guess what, they will because it makes money. This is what low regulation looks like.

I've heard more paranoid theories about Kinect, with zero proof, than real concern over google tracking me and storing my wifi passwords. Or the various hacks and leaks like Adobe and Linode, which affected and arguably victimized me legitimately.

There's this "contrails in the sky" hysteria when it comes to the kinect which is 100% irrational. Let's not contribute to it.

spacelizardOP12y ago

It's not "just a government issue," by saying this you complete sidestep from the real issue which is privacy in general. The government is really not the only party that anyone should be worried about spying on them. I personally would say that any company that amasses personal data on users, as well as distributes locked devices, DRM, proprietary software, etc, is not one that anyone should support. I'm not singling out this device, all locked-down devices like this with curated "online experiences" have just as much potential for abusive data harvesting, censorship, predatory business practices, dodgy vendor lock-in strategies, and all that other good stuff that these companies love.

I agree that, as users, complaining publicly to these cathedral-like entities serves little purpose. The responsible thing to do is to be aware of it and to either avoid as much of it as possible, or to be very cautious about what you do around it (and before you go taking that to mean something specific, I mean in a general sense). I would say this matters even more when children become involved, the fact that this is an entertainment device marketed towards them is somewhat of a trojan horse. This is the reality of what you must do to retain privacy. It's perfectly feasible, it just warrants some of your attention.

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