Amazon Firestick

Amazon - member of a legendary tribe? No evidence they exist.

FireStick - for starting fires? Definitely.

My dumb view is that any use of the internet or connected universe creates a data trail. Even those who have no internet or connected devices have a trail.

Our mum at 92 is one who never had any internet or smart devices. A little time past the NBN FTTN arrived irreversibly. Telstra install a wireless modem by default. Even on a phone only pensioner style plan it comes with some data. The system was left with the default wifi functional.

Add to this the smart TV which by default wanted internet service, every extra new device FireSticks included create a footprint.

Are we getting just a little too concerned over which product gives the least opportunity for unwanted intrusion, instead of discussing the most effective product for adding streaming or smart services to a TV?

PS
I’d choose an Apple TV if it was necessary, it’s not currently, partly because we have an Apple universe of personal devices. Whether it’s the most efficient or safest product, might come a close second.

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I am not trying to convince you are wrong. One can believe what they think.

As I outlined, any tech company collects data and uses it for their own purposes (either in-house or through second parties). Apples T&Cs, like most others, makes it clear that it collects data from its users and that is will use it or share it. Thinking that Apple is honest and trustworthy is possibly correct, as one can trust Apple (like other tech companies) to operate in accordance with its T&Cs, namely use and share collected data for their own financial benefit. They have been clear in their T&Cs that this is the case, and what they do could be seen as upfront and ‘honest’. It would be ‘nice’ if they excluded such from their T&Cs, then one could then say that they don’t do it.

I am not trying to have a go at Apple, just pointing out that thinking that they don’t collect their users data and use it for their own benefit is not correct. Thinking they don’t collect and use the data, may give a false impression about what happens when one uses their apps/software and services.

Their cosy relationship with Google also shows that they are also willing to facilitate, by default, collection of data by other (third party) companies for a financial return.

It demonstrates that Apple, like other tech companies, are willing to (and also let others) use collected data to maximise its potential value.

Is it wrong, well it depends on what one’s views on their own privacy is and whether one thinks the use of data by all tech companies for their own financial gain is ethical. I personally have a view that if one uses any apps/software or services, this is the price one has to pay. I don’t particularly like it, but live with it.

Edit: Is Apple better than others or potentially lower risk…possibly. In relation to privacy and how it manages data, Apple is far from being perfect.

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Same. The only way to ensure you aren’t directly giving yourself away is to not use anything, then you just give yourself away by proxy anyway :wink: ‘They say’ that if something is free then you are the product, but its probably more accurate to say that you are in some way part of the product regardless (or in the US, irregardless) …

This is nothing new. Companies have always used customer data for purposes it either wasn’t intended, profit, without the customers knowledge or any combination thereof - what we did 40 years ago with a meg of core memory and a fist-full of punch cards was no different - only the scope, scale and capability has changed.

OT bigtime now :wink:

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You did hollerith flip-art too?

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I admired the imperfections of the lines produced by the high speed drum printer. They tended to ripple through each print run in a unique pattern, giving every such work of art a unique finger print.

If only you could ensure the paper was loaded to print on the back. (bung.dat)
A partial explanation follows if you were wondering.

Is it on topic? Sort of. It’s what some of us accused of being less social and close to the original generation of nerds may have shown interest in prior to the infection and plagues of media streaming services. And a ‘Fire stick’ was what it said it was, or slang for a match?

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