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MS + NSA reveal. Wil this affect the Kinect?

Majmun

Majmun

Member
Microsoft has collaborated closely with US intelligence services to allow users' communications to be intercepted, including helping the National Security Agency to circumvent the company's own encryption, according to top-secret documents obtained by the Guardian.

• Secret files show scale of Silicon Valley co-operation on Prism
• Outlook.com encryption unlocked even before official launch
• Skype worked to enable Prism collection of video calls
• Company says it is legally compelled to comply
Click to expand...

Story here...

Kinect conspiracies maybe true, after all? MS giving NSA access to their database has the potential to make people more skeptical towards the Kinect. MS gave the NSA access to their Skype database...

I won't be getting an X1 if Kinect remains a mandatory thing... :/
 
P

Paches

Member
That seems to go beyond the metadata gathering we knew they were doing. This is basically unfettered access to everything?
 
batman2million

batman2million

Member
I'm pretty sure it will. I'm curious to see if this will impact any of these companies at all?

I feel it's become second nature to assume that everything we do is just about monitored.
 
D

Dave Long

Banned
Given all we know, I don't know why anyone would want a big corporation's camera pointed at them in their home. Ever.
 
P

phosphor112

Banned
Paches-EJ- said:
That seems to go beyond the metadata gathering we knew they were doing. This is basically unfettered access to everything?
Click to expand...

Yep. MS gave them rights to basically access every single bit of data they have.

It's nuts. They are apparently saying they legally have to... which is even more nuts. Fuck that noise.
 
Z

ZeroCoin

Member
I think most people assumed that this data was going to the NSA when the PRISM story broke. Any data that is being collected anywhere is very likely able to be looked through. I'd imagine people that really want an xbone won't be persuaded against buying it.

I can't believe that any company actually wants all the attention from this PRISM stuff, you would think that they would try to be as transparent as possible and give people as many ways to disallow data collection. I keep thinking about how the original kinect basically had you stand in all sorts of different places and say different phrases in order to more accurately track your voice commands and body position. Quite an augmentation to any sort of national citizen database that might exist.
 
P

Paches

Member
phosphor112 said:
Yep. MS gave them rights to basically access every single bit of data they have.

It's nuts. They are apparently saying they legally have to... which is even more nuts. Fuck that noise.
Click to expand...

It is easy to say "we are legally obligated", but what I want to know is how much push back MS gave to the government. Could they have challenged it legally some how? It is insanity.
 
B

Barkley's Justice

Member
I have an XB1 pre-ordered. But I intend to cancel it a day before launch if they don't reverse the mandatory Kinect thing. For exactly these privacy concerns.
 
P

phosphor112

Banned
shinobi602 said:
B-b-but everyone's just being conspiracy theorists!
Click to expand...

Yep!... I don't like this webcam on my laptop.. I might tape it up now...

Paches-EJ- said:
It is easy to say "we are legally obligated", but what I want to know is how much push back MS gave to the government. Could they have challenged it legally some how? It is insanity.
Click to expand...

It really is insane. This level of data mining is just... nuts. It's like from a piece of fiction.
 
J

jmls1121

Banned
I'm usually one to argue that the mass market looks at 2 things when making a console purchasing decision: price and what games they want to buy.

But I think the answer is actually yes to this question. MS pushes Kinect as a device that can intimately monitor your every move, a device that will always be on and "revolutionize your living room." They have always pushed the perception that Kinect is some type of sci-fi gizmo that is from the future.

If this MS/PRISM story grows, I really think they are going to have a hard time selling an always-on camera to the general consumer. Kinect was alreadys somewhat creepy before these revelations.
 
A

Agent Icebeezy

Welcome beautful toddler, Madison Elizabeth, to the horde!
I want to think that this speaks more to us as a country than it does purely about Microsoft. They are the biggest company as far as software, they would definitely be forced to comply.

They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
Click to expand...

Ben Franklin was so right.
 
B

Bsigg12

Member
phosphor112 said:
Yep. MS gave them rights to basically access every single bit of data they have.

It's nuts. They are apparently saying they legally have to... which is even more nuts. Fuck that noise.
Click to expand...

Pretty much anything that has a microphone/camera and can connect to the internet has the ability to be searched through the NSA. It's ridiculous.
 
G

GoofsterStud

Member
Of course it will. They already have Windows Azure... Otherwise known as the Xbox One cloud! Microsoft gives up it's streaming video and audio.

People call me paranoid... I call them ignorant.
 
G

Garrett 2U

Member
The same way this scandal is going to affect people's decisions to buy smartphones from Apple and Google.
Or even simply phone/internet services from providers, knowing all of the data is analyzed and recorded.

In the way that it is not, or shouldn't.
The root of the problem is the government, not the companies.
 
L

Lambda Pie

Banned
you really thought Kinect was always on for convenience?

their angle is pretty obvious, even the "Cloud" is just PR for "private info storage".
 
3

3rdamention

Member
"Skype worked to enable Prism collection of video calls"






This is the freaking scary part in my opinion. They allowed the NSA to collect video calls, that is crazy. Especially when it was supposed to simply be metadata. Since Skype is on the Xbox One, you really cannot defend that they will not allow them to collect those calls as well. Especially when Microsoft said they were "legally compelled to comply."
 
M

Miles Quaritch

Member
This needs to blow up for it to impact the mandatory Kinect requirement, but I doubt it'll be addressed as the UI is apparently designed entirely around using Kinect....
 
P

ParenegadeM

Banned
jmls1121 said:
I'm usually one to argue that the mass market looks at 2 things when making a console purchasing decision: price and what games they want to buy.

But I think the answer is actually yes to this question. MS pushes Kinect as a device that can intimately monitor your every move, a device that will always be on and "revolutionize your living room." They have always pushed the perception that Kinect is some type of sci-fi gizmo that is from the future.

If this MS/PRISM story grows, I really think they are going to have a hard time selling an always-on camera to the general consumer. Kinect was alreadys somewhat creepy before these revelations.
Click to expand...

The camera isn't always on. Worst case scenario if you're paranoid cover it up while you aren't using it.
 
Y

ymmv

Banned
2005: Epic fought for Xbox 360 to have 512MB

2013: The NSA fought for Xbox One to have an always on Kinect and cloud storage
 
B

Bsigg12

Member
3rdamention said:
"Skype worked to enable Prism collection of video calls"






This is the freaking scary part in my opinion. They allowed the NSA to collect video calls, that is crazy. Especially when it was supposed to simply be metadata. Since Skype is on the Xbox One, you really cannot defend that they will not allow them to collect those calls as well. Especially when Microsoft said they were "legally compelled to comply."
Click to expand...

Skype is on everything anymore. I think your phone is more of an issue than a game console. You don't keep private things like pictures or text conversations on a console like you do a phone.
 
L

Lighthouse

Member
Nope, most people just dont care because "they have nothing to hide" .

Mandatory Kinect is the sole reason I wont by an xbone.

This news wont change a thing.
 
D

delirium

Member
How is this different from any other service you use? If they have a warrant, the gov't going to be able to access your data.
 
B

Bsigg12

Member
Toki767 said:
It's not always on, except it is always on otherwise it wouldn't be able to hear you say "Xbox on"
Click to expand...

Or you know, you could just fully power down the system with a button press on the hardware. Also, they have already said they are including options for shutting down certain features of the kinect if you don't want them.
 
X

Xrenity

Member
Bsigg12 said:
Or you know, you could just fully power down the system with a button press on the hardware. Also, they have already said they are including options for shutting down certain features of the kinect if you don't want them.
Click to expand...
Wonder when they'll announce the version without Kinect.
 
N

Nibel

Member
Sorry Microsoft but Xbox One is a third-class console in my opinion *munches Sauerkraut while typing with his Bockwurst fingers*
 
I

i-Lo

Member
Like I said in the other thread, people who expressed concern at the privacy issues mandatory kinect brings were scoffed at by fanboys. Now it looks like there is quite a legitimate cause for that same concern.

Not buying Xbone in the beginning anyway but if they don't allow the usage of console w/o having kinect 2 on as a requisite then I'll never get one.
 
3

3rdamention

Member
Bsigg12 said:
Skype is on everything anymore. I think your phone is more of an issue than a game console. You don't keep private things like pictures or text conversations on a console like you do a phone.
Click to expand...



It isn't on any of the gaming consoles I own, or on any of the gaming consoles I am purchasing.
 
S

StudioTan

Hold on, friend! I'd love to share with you some swell news about the Windows 8 Metro UI! Wait, where are you going?
Relevant quotes in the article:

From MS:

"we provide customer data only in response to legal processes."

From the NSA:

"The articles describe court-ordered surveillance"
 
O

Odrion

Banned
Hey remember Microsoft's "Scroogle" campaign? You know, the one that tried to convince people that Google was snooping through your e-mails for advertisements?
 
G

GoofsterStud

Member
Bsigg12 said:
Or you know, you could just fully power down the system with a button press on the hardware. Also, they have already said they are including options for shutting down certain features of the kinect if you don't want them.
Click to expand...

Do you really think that these feature's can't be turned back on via the other side of the internet?

They can. Only way to stop it is disconnect, unplug, or cover it with tape.

The question now is: What about the rumor of Kinetic not working if it can't recognize anything. (IE: Tape = Xbox One Brick)

I hope some journalist find out soon.
 
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