More creepiness from Amazon

Amazon is starting a new “community network” of sorts for Amazon devices, allowing your devices to connect to neighbors WiFis and vice versa without requiring a password.

Not sure if anyone knows more about this than me. I need to see if this will effect me. I was given an echo dot or some such as a gift. But stopped using it when I started my separation from big tech.

Edit - found where I can de-register my device through Amazon.

You May Want To Opt Out of Amazon Sidewalk

6 Likes

I saw this and frankly I don’t trust that they would actually deregister you.

3 Likes

Thought crossed my mind as well.

1 Like

On what planet would that be a good idea??

Fortunately I would never allow an Amazon or Google spybox into my house anyway.

7 Likes

I think I see the ideal Amazon is trying to appeal to. It’s like a socialized internet kind of thing. Everywhere you go, there’s WiFi! Yea!

Although, what I really see is an effort to make 5G more ubiquitous. Imagine if everyone’s WiFi router were to become a 5G node. The infrastructure would build itself essentially. You’d have no dead-spots and we’d quickly enter our 5G utopia.

Lobby for the right to de-register?

1 Like

FWIW Amazon isn’t joining your neighbors devices to your wifi.

They are letting Alexa/ring act as relays for specific things like the Amazon tracker tags for tracking things like pets so that they can be found. It’s unclear to me if this is on unlicensed 2.4 or Bluetooth but I believe it’s just Bluetooth.

I’m not saying I agree with it being opt out, or that I even agree with it on the whole, but I do think when criticising it we should portray what is actually happening.

3 Likes

I saw bluetooth also, and that the range is expanded to up to 200’ or something. But I’d have to look it up again to be certain of that.

1 Like

Some people, who have unplugged the internet and unsubscribed everything relating to Echo, as about any Amazon devices with wifi, including light blubs, even apps, but failed to have them all removed and thrown away, may or may not start noticing their devices are being reactivated once Amazon Sidewalk network become implemented coming from their neighbors. This also could be what Amazon sought for. Pretty soon, it probably will work and share with Facebook, Google, and Microsoft. Oh my. Maybe it’s better to start thinking more about moving somewhere very remote that’s off grid or towns without any internet or wifi access, like Green Bank, West Virginia.

1 Like

FUD

An older device that doesn’t have the software update to allow this functionality wouldnt be able to connect also echo and several other devices cannot act as clients with Amazon sidewalk.

I’m no amazon fan, but when you spread lies to further your goals you actually hurt those goals by muddying the waters for those less informed whom may become less likely to trust even the truthful things you say…

1 Like

I knew it … You’re an Amazon agent, aren’t you?
Your job is to spread FUD about FUD!
Why don’t you tell us who you really are.

And here I thought the A on that manila folder of instructions stood for Alphabet

1 Like

You would have to take that on trust though. There is no way to verify what they are letting - or how it is operating.

Even if the code only intends to allow certain things, there can be bugs that allow more than that. The whole idea of allowing random passing strangers to pair via Bluetooth (if that is the case) is flirting with danger.

2 Likes

Chester the Molester says “This is fine…”

1 Like

So true @kieran.

Remember when Alexa/Echo would randomly laugh at it’s users?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7t9f_x258Q

How about occasions where it might randomly record a conversations and send it to someone in your contacts?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7ta4CfXu1Y

I would never bring one of these devices into my home.

2 Likes

This can happen with open source software as well. OpenSSL anyone… The implication that this is unique to closed source software is disingenuous at best.

100% agree. Open or closed source doesn’t matter to me on this, I think it’s a risky thing and should be opt in not opt out.

I should be thankful I downgraded my laptop to an old Dell E5500. No bluetooth, no camera.

If you already have an Amazon IoT device, you must have some level of trust in Amazon… or else you wouldn’t even buy that device. So personally, I think if you have a device and don’t want this feature, then disable it and be more at ease. Amazon does not have an incentive to deceive users when it comes to such an explicit setting; otherwise, they would open themselves up to law suites.

1 Like

But did Amazon inform their customers about their Sidewalk network thru email? Including options to disable it? Most of their users, who probably don’t read technology news daily like we do, apparently have no idea about Sidewalk. Only one week of warning before Sidewalk is activated really narrows down to their intention of deceit, among with what were already inside their devices that unwitting customers didn’t know when they brought them.

Some of my relatives, living in same town as I am actually do have Alexa or some Amazon devices, didn’t know about it until I informed them. I refused to visit their homes because they’re using those kinds of smart devices. Also most news channels on tv do not share that information, even most things we’ve learned from technology news, open sources, and technology freedoms, etc. Maybe because FAAMG paid them not to.

Yes they did actually. Multiple times leading up to the launch even.

The first email I can find went out in November 2020. Subject “Echo Update: Amazon Sidewalk is coming soon”

With directions in the email on how to disable it.

By my count it was over 6 months of warning from Amazon direct to the email associated with the Amazon device.

No amount of reaching out by a company can overcome customers choosing to ignore the company and make up their own narrative; as I’m sure @Kyle_Rankin can relate :wink:.

Again, I don’t like this feature; I don’t like that it’s opt out (though I understand why they would make that choice). I also, however, greatly dislike when lies are presented as facts thus muddying the waters.

A better argument would be that “most people don’t pay attention to their email so they wont, and many didn’t, notice the announcements from Amazon which is why this should be an opt in and not an opt out” (though Amazon would argue the other way to increase adoption and thus increase functionality).

What is deceptive about anouncing to the world what you’re doing, emailing your customers, and advertising on your website what you’re doing?

Or maybe it’s just not that interesting and theres no news here other than “people too lazy to read their email are surprised by the content of their mailbox”…

2 Likes