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Facebook Delays Home-Speaker Unveil Amid Data Crisis (bloomberg.com)
Bloomberg reports: Facebook has decided not to unveil new home products at its major developer conference in May, in part because the public is currently so outraged about the social network's data-privacy practices, according to people familiar with the matter. The company's new hardware products, connected speakers with digital-assistant and video-chat capabilities, are undergoing a deeper review to ensure that they make the right trade-offs regarding user data, the people said.
While the hardware wasn't expected to be available until the fall, the company had hoped to preview the devices at the largest annual gathering of Facebook developers, said the people, who asked not to be named discussing internal plans. The devices are part of Facebook's plan to become more intimately involved with users' everyday social lives, using artificial intelligence -- following a path forged by Amazon.com and its Echo in-home smart speakers. As concerns escalate about Facebook's collection and use of personal data, now may be the wrong time to ask consumers to trust it with even more information by placing a connected device in their homes.
While the hardware wasn't expected to be available until the fall, the company had hoped to preview the devices at the largest annual gathering of Facebook developers, said the people, who asked not to be named discussing internal plans. The devices are part of Facebook's plan to become more intimately involved with users' everyday social lives, using artificial intelligence -- following a path forged by Amazon.com and its Echo in-home smart speakers. As concerns escalate about Facebook's collection and use of personal data, now may be the wrong time to ask consumers to trust it with even more information by placing a connected device in their homes.
After the failed Facebook-Phone I can't imagine Facebook-Alexa would be anymore successful. I can't see anyone wanting facebook having a microphone in their home. If they were willing to have an ear they would have an Alexa or a Google Home by now.
"That's the way to do it" - Punch
Makes people think that Amazon etc. are any different in their business practices? All of these devices are basically surveillance machines that people willingly put in their homes, Facebook is far from unique. It's actually a toss up whether they or Google are the worst culprits.
Who on earth would want to have a Facebook enabled "anything" in their home?
All the tech companies that have one of these hot mics have a business model that can support it... except Facebook. I suspect that Facebook would be the company that would result in the dystopian outcome that we all fear could come about from these "home speakers" because their business model is simply to gather information and sell it.
Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
Coming soon....
Why? I mean, other than to make Facebook more money and to encroach further on Google and Amazon's territory. But why would a Facebook user want such a thing?
Palaces, barricades, threats, meet promises
Consumers are upset that a Consumer Tracking Company Tracks Them.
This adds to negative press that blames Facebook for being Facebook, and draws attention away from the Democrats' utter incompetence in failing to use Facebook effectively and the Republicans' idiotic use of foreign nationals and foreign companies to use Facebook effectively.
The problem with leaving Facebook is the network effect. Force them to use open standards for their messaging platform and people will mostly ditch them tomorrow.
to ensure that they make the right trade-offs regarding user data
There are things you just shouldn't have any authority to decide on trade-offs for, and especially trade-offs on the behalf of others.
I think this highlights why the US needs data protection regulations like the EU and other European countries have, where personal data is owned by the user, and not the company that collects it, and where companies who create databases of user data beyond what's needed for a transaction have to provide a justification and obtain a permit.
Giving them a carte blanche and letting them decide for themselves what "trade-offs" they want to play is stupid.
I really have no interest in tech companies being more intimately involved in my everyday life.
So you don't want an Alexa powered fleshlight for Christmas?
"That's the way to do it" - Punch
... ensure that they make the right trade-offs regarding user data...
Facebook is incapable of making the "right trade offs" regarding user privacy. User privacy runs against the very core of Facebook's existence.
I can't see anyone wanting facebook having a microphone in their home.
No worse than Google, Amazon, etc. Honestly I don't really trust any of them though I will agree that I trust Facebook the least of the big tech firms. By a lot.
There also is the fact that I don't have any use for this thinly disguised spy devices. They strike me as a solution looking for a problem. I don't use Siri on my phone so it's unclear why I would be interested in wiring my house with another service I won't use that might be spying on me to boot.
Their conference is on the 1st of may.
Deliberately, to ensure that non-Americans like EU officials won't attend?
Which smart speaker would you trust the most?
The real answer is "None of the Above" but put a gun to my head and the answer is clearly Apple. Why? I trust their profit motive the most. Apple just wants to sell me more Apple products and actually has a not completely terrible record with regard to privacy. All the others want to sell data about me to third parties of unknown reliability. Amazon would be the next option, again because of their profit motive which is to sell me physical and digital stuff. Google and Facebook I don't trust at all. They are advertising companies start to finish and I have no interest in cooperating with that.
FSB or "Facebook Surveillance Box"
Should've held it at April 1st.
Any claims about privacy would have been so much more topical that day.
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
...Alexa powered fleshlight...
I'd go with Alexa, but I'd be thinking of Siri.
He's getting rather old, but he's a good mouse.
Let's face it: Anyone trusting them on ANYTHING anymore cannot be helped. If you still can't understand how you're nothing but a commodity to that company, well, there's no amount of evidence, argument or convincing going to be of any use.
And if you really believe them when they say that they will "improve", there isn't anything left to be said either. Their whole business model is to sell your privacy to whoever is willing to hand them money. That is their business model. In case you don't believe it, just tell me what else this company could possible sell to make money.
And if that doesn't work for you, how about greed and miserliness. Ponder how much Facebook is "worth". Ponder what you got for being sold by them. Now tell me you don't feel like you've been getting a raw deal. They sell you for thousands of dollars and you get ... umm... a place to put pictures of your lunch.
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
They'll probably push an update to the Oculus that turns it into one of these things, if I had to guess. A lot of people bought that thing recently because they slashed the price on it so much.
Is not Pleased with this comment. Or is it just a April Fools Bunny joke?
... they harvest and use my personal data for my benefit, i.e., so that Facebook can assure that the ads I see are relevant. If it really is to my benefit, shouldn't I be able to tell Facebook that I do not want that benefit, that I don't care whether the ads I see are relevant because I generally ignore the ads anyway.
I'd go with Alexa, but I'd be thinking of Siri.
Imagine how embarrassed people would be if their friends found out they used a Google-Mini.
"That's the way to do it" - Punch
Facebook has run it's course. It's a giant oak tree that's rotting from within, and it's time to chop it down and move on. #DeleteFacebook
...announcing their latest surveillance strategy, an "always on" microphone in your home amid current media exposure about their poor/incompetent data privacy practices.
Who'da thunk it'd be so easy to get people to pay for and install bugging devices themselves?
Anyway, too late Facebook. Amazon got there first.
Debate is a form of harassment. Do not question my truth.
What I'm waiting for is the facebook security camera/doorbell. They've got facial data for most people on facebook, and have demographic info. Whenever a "friend" rocks up to the front door, it can send alert. Your local delivery people can have the door automatically unlock to put the package inside. When the derelicts rock up, automatically call the cops. Jehovah witness, send out the alarm to stay away from the front door and windows.