It appears Amazon has quietly released its 5th annual transparency report which shows that it turned more data over to the US government than it did the year before. This is for the first half of 2017.
This comes on the heels of a similar news coming out of Facebook that it too is fulfilling more of the government's requests than ever before.
In short, it is obvious that the Feds are using these mega-corporate titans to spy on its citizens. Sure, they will claim it is for "National Security" but we know that is bogus. This is why blockchain is so vital to the freedom of the human race.
The company's transparency reports do not take into account any other data-related business units, such as if authorities have obtained data wiretapped or submitted through its Amazon's Echo products.
Personal AI assistants are coming closer to be a reality. We need to be very careful what we do with these devices. As evidenced here, this could be a situation whereby we invite law enforcement into our homes. These tech companies, not surprisingly, are doing nothing to protect their customers against the potential abuse of the government.
We all must stop feeding the beast and it starts with social media. Being in the ecosystem of any of these tech titans is putting you in danger. Regardless of what you are doing, there is a way for the government to turn it around on you. It is bad enough we are monitored in most ways, there is no need to volunteer information.
It is no surprise Amazon released this report in as quiet a manner as possible. The fact that these entities sell people's data to advertisers is well known. Now, people are starting to realize that anything they do is handed over to the government without even a fight. Individuals who are being targeted have no idea their data is even being asked for.
Naturally, there will be those who claim they have nothing to hide.
Saying that you don’t care about the right to privacy because you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don’t care about freedom of speech because you have nothing to say. -Edward Snowden
Law "enforcement" will use anything they can to get to the heart of what they want. If they were truly protecting and serving, this would be fine. However, we know this is not always the case. Powerful people use information to blackmail, coerce, and outright destroy people.
Law enforcement has, since Echo's inception, looked at ways to obtain data from the voice-activated assistant. Amazon has largely resisted efforts by police to obtain data from the always-listening product, but acquiesced in one murder investigation after the suspect did not object to the turning over of his Echo data.
It is evident that the elite benefited from the use of technology to spy and control the masses. Now it is time that we start to use the latest advancements for our advantage. Blockchain is one of the most powerful technologies we have ever seen. It is a game changer in terms of the power structure. For this to manifest properly, we all need to promote the idea of decentralization in every manner. From now on, it is best to commit to using as many decentralized services as possible. Fortunately, over the next year, there will be a number of these coming online. Hopefully, we see many of them on this blockchain.
For the article about Amazon:
http://www.zdnet.com/article/amazon-turns-over-record-amount-of-customer-data-to-us-law-enforcement/
That is one of the reasons I am so committed to STEEM. It is imperative that we make this place as strong as possible. We can change the world, not only with our concern for our fellow man, but also by introducing as many as we can to the idea of tokens. Cryptocurrency is one of the mechanisms that can get people out from under the banksters control. Their stranglehold over society stems from their control of the money. Change this and we radically altered a large part of the equation.
There is a lot more to this than putting SP in your account. It is all part of the transformation of the human race.
And from the way I see it, this is ground zero in that fight.
If you found this article helpful, please upvote and resteem....let's get the word out.
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Upvoted, Resteemed, and here's my comment. As always, great stuff @taskmaster4450.
Figure since you're upvoting your own comments I might as well collect some rewards
Haha, fair point. Welcome!
You are absolutely right. Steemit is a great way to communicate with people without fear that your data will be checked by the government. Here you share with everyone only what you want. Good luck to you and kind.
I won't even consider buying a product like Alexa and have been putting off buying a Smart TV for years. When I eventually do buy one, I doubt it will be a Samsung because that company has been notoriously bad about respecting the privacy of its customers. I'll want to buy a model that will allow me to turn off the Smart mode, though that may not help due to the published ability of government hackers to turn on the monitoring features even though they appear to be turned off.
Cryptocurrency is the beginning of the revolution, people are starting to open there eyes and see the harsh reality of the world. Facebook, Google, and Amazon are data mines that harvest your data and hand it over to the government. Google never forgets. Cryptocurrency is cryptographic for numerous reasons and one of them is too put an end to this and stop banksters from having so much control. Start using duckduckgo and disconnect search. However, for some, it is too hard to give up social media and put down their echo's and home's. There is as simple solution to that, be more cautious don't post incriminating stuff and don't always have your devices near you. Know that they are always watching like in 1984. But do not worry the revolution is coming and all will be fine, use your brain and be smarter than the machine. Be secure and safe, and above all else don't be stupid. Great post as always.
Another fine post from the taskmasta. I wonder when the establishment will blatantly attack blockchain tech and give a bullshit reason for doing so.
Its a big part of the reason I got off all social media 2 years ago. The decentralized nature of Steemit is the only reason I am here. I don't trust any of these companies to "do the right thing". When all of the leadership of these companies are multi-millionaires with a ton to lose if the long arm of Washington comes after them, they will fold like a cheap suit. I've found in my career that those that are good at climbing a large multinational corporate ladder are usually weak in moral character without a firm foundation of their own.
Hey @taskmaster4450,
Thanks for the heads-up on this. Though it is not in the least bit surprising. I don't want to judge anyone here but who in the f#*k would bug their own home with a listening device like alexa?
As soon as I heard about this thing red flags went off.
"Oh, something I put in my home that listens all the time so it can answer my inane questions, yeah, NO!"
Blockchain technology couldn't have come at a better time. Thank you Satoshi Nakamora.
I agree, although our smartphones pretty much do the same thing these days don't they? And we almost all have them.
you can never fully avoid being tracked, however if you put in effort you can limit the amount of information that's taken from you. Keep up the fight man!
True that Bec. Points for you.
You have to look a both sides of this, Amazon isn't all evil and could actually help crypto. If they start accepting bitcoin payments like they're considering that could help make crypto more mainstream to the masses and add legitimacy to it's purchasing power.
I agree. I am very glad for steemit. Thank you for the article and information
I 100% agree with you @taskmaster4450 about the importance of decentralisation changing the world for the better!
Your determination to make a difference is inspiring!
i guess everyone should read this fine post so informative for everyone !!!
I wish this wasn't happening. I don't want one of these devices but I feel like my phones doing it anyway : (
Media sosial tradisional itu telah melanggar privasi orang lain, mereka telah menjadikan data yang mereka dapatkan secara gratis kemudian mereka komersil kan, sedangkan pemilik data hanya mendapatkan like, tidak lebih dari itu.
Yang mengherankan adalah mengapa orang-orang sangat tidak peduli bahwa apa yang mereka posting sebenarnya bernilai dan harus diberi penghargaan, kita memang hidup di zaman yang penuh tipu daya.
Saya telah menggunakan media sosial tradisional itu sejak 2008, mulai 3 bulan ini saya sudah meninggalkan nya.
Saya harus berusaha mengajak teman untuk berhenti menggunakan nya, sekarang zaman sudah berubah.
Awesome. the government seems to be against cryptocurrency why if i may ask. I believe with steemit our future is secured
Another crackin' read!
I have, and never will, buy from Amazon.
In fact I am the world's worst consumer and proud - but that is another story.
I have chosen to live small and under the radar for years now even refusing loyalty cards.
So many people are oblivious to the level of surveillance, control and manipulation we are all subjected to daily.
:(
I came to all this via a rather unorthodox route - my 'Light' spirit guides coerced me to dive into crypto and blockchain and, as you say, confirm that it is through these developments that the corruption and greed of the elite, 'The Dark', can be broken.
Hoorah.
Keep up the great work.
And thanks.
xox
“stop feeding the beast“
Thanks for telling the true story on Amazon. I am sure there is more yet to come.
Yes Amazon Echo, MS Cortana, Google Assistant - all of these are great products for home automation and as digital assistant but comes with the "snoop" rider... It's like having a stranger in your bedroom 24x7 only that the stranger is a some corporate beheboth who sells your data to advertisers and gives it for free to the big brother govt. 1984 is here.
I also agree with you.
I don't see why you would willingly put a device in your house that is listening all the time, without thinking somebody could listen to everything you are doing.
Big companies will always leak our data to third parties, is how they roll.
Hello!
Just wanted to let you know that I totally praise you in this post seen as you are the one person who is making me understand this steem blockchain!!
https://steemit.com/steem/@ashleykalila/the-steem-blockchain-is-more-amazing-than-i-ever-even-realized
:)
Thank you for your continued effort to make sense of this place!
Thank you so much for great stuffs like this. Sensitizing people on the surest way to financial emancipation.
The truly scary part is that those of us who get it (i.e. privacy issues) can SCREEM at the top of our lungs and the rest seem not to care. Drives me crazy! But I'm getting better. Who, in their right mind would think that an always-on listening device that's connected to the internet and a company like Amazon is a smart idea. And just so I can ask it if it's cold outside. But even when this is pointed out as a really bad idea sales of said devices increase. And let's not mention the marketing of an always-on GPS that's connected to your person 24x7. Why would a person willingly allow their exact location to be tracked by companies they know little about in exchange for a free latte? I find this truly beyond comprehension.
It's not like we haven't had data breaches at companies that should know better (yes, you Equifax) and be far more adept at security than some unknown that just created an app for your phone.
It is utter insanity. The world is broken. Why the sky might even be falling!
Everybody get privacy or nobody have it. We unfortunately are living in a world with two speed. Where gouvernement and whealty corporates can hide information from us, but we can't hide nothing to them.
Decentralisation make us the master of that power.
Great post and a lot of food for thought.
This is just like that time in which they sold that easy to hack barbie doll who could speak to your kids.... sigh.