Maybe Google really is watching....

[DrPhill]

If you want to be paranoid then look at this article: Intel Management Engine

The Intel Management Engine always runs as long as the motherboard is receiving power, even when the computer is turned off.

The subsystem primarily consists of proprietary firmware running on a separate microprocessor that performs tasks during boot-up, while the computer is running, and while it is asleep.[7] As long as the chipset or SoC is supplied with power (via battery or power supply), it continues to run even when the system is turned off.[8] Intel claims the ME is required to provide full performance.[9] Its exact workings[10] are largely undocumented[11] and its code is obfuscated using confidential Huffman tables stored directly in hardware, so the firmware does not contain the information necessary to decode its contents.

Essentially every Intel-based computer for the last several years, including most desktops and servers, were found to be vulnerable to having their security compromised,

The ME's security architecture is designed to prevent disabling, and thus its possibility is considered by Intel to be a security vulnerability.

 

[niemeyjt]

I call this school of fish. There's probably something in the absence of any crime that authorities could find interesting. Maybe you've driven a car with something obscuring your vision to the right because you were hauling wood, etc. Maybe you were notified of something 3 years later that should've been followed up with in submitting revised taxes but didn't do it.

But the authorities aren't interested in every fish in the school. They're interested in the fish that bites the tails off of other fish so that they die, or whatever else.

However, a group of sales fish will see if they can figure out how to sell 100 different things to every single fish.

And that's really what we have. The sensational stories talk about how you're no longer safe as data is collected on everything. It is, and google holds huge volumes and i'm sure everyone else does. But they're not trying to figure out how to see you in your britches on a sunday morning and report that it looks like you drank on saturday and you're overweight. They're holding it until they figure out how it's valuable for pitching something to you, or selling the information to someone else who wants to.

I would bet a lot of the bits of data that are held that google and others haven't figured out how to mine are held just because they are figuring out how to mine them instead of just throwing them out. Marginal audio, whatever. Just like gold miners will go through tailings from a century ago - there's still some gold in the tailings, it's just a matter of the value of it being worth getting out.

A nice variation of the if you've nothing to hide you've nothing to fear. But the reality is different.

Imagine on your way to work you are involved in a train crash. Imagine you suffer bad injuries and decide to campaign for rail safety. Imagine you then call out the relevant government minister for lying. It could happen to anyone.

The government then tries to "dig the dirt" on the victim and others in the safety campaign. And with all the potential tools at their disposal, there is a lot of digging that could be done.

So despite the rhetoric, it is not the "paedophiles and terrorists" (those that bite other fish) that can be in their sights - it can be anyone who crosses them.

 

[glennkilshaw10]

I agree it without doubt listens, I've always had an immense dislike for those who tow a bedroom around to pay to park in a field the same as they would in a cheap b&b only to sleep with their head 12 inches from where they go to the toilet...
My work colleague that I spent 11hrs a day in a van with was an avid owner of such an item, following him talking about them all day even the adverts on my YouTube were all about the caravan club . The amusing thing is I pointed out that I'm being bombarded with adverts for caravans, volvo estates and extending mirrors ...to which he complained and showed me his phone...every advert was either pvc fetish clothing or ...errr...enhancements to his ....you get the idea...so has he been talking about it or has his Mrs??

 

[paulrbarnard]

I agree it without doubt listens, I've always had an immense dislike for those who tow a bedroom around to pay to park in a field the same as they would in a cheap b&b only to sleep with their head 12 inches from where they go to the toilet...
My work colleague that I spent 11hrs a day in a van with was an avid owner of such an item, following him talking about them all day even the adverts on my YouTube were all about the caravan club . The amusing thing is I pointed out that I'm being bombarded with adverts for caravans, volvo estates and extending mirrors ...to which he complained and showed me his phone...every advert was either pvc fetish clothing or ...errr...enhancements to his ....you get the idea...so has he been talking about it or has his Mrs??

Glen,

I know your new and just catching up but it is worth checking the date on posts before you reply.

 

[artie]

Glen,

it is worth checking the date on posts before you reply.

Why?

It's still relevant.

 

[paulrbarnard]

Why?

It's still relevant.

Indeed, but the thread had run it course. It’s an off topic thread so was it really necessary to bring it back?
If there is a new aspect that you bring, a new thread would be a good idea.