100%. There is no convenience that would ever convince me to have an always on listening device in my home.
PRISM was proof that governments pressure tech companies to become sources.
How to build a program to retain power:
1) Make new tech that is very convenient but has potential to become surveillance vector.
-> e.g, Phone with voice recordings, fingerprint Face ID, location data, network of friends. Smart TV, smart watch, smart locks, Alexa, etc.
2) Support consumer adoption.
3) Keep public attention on the evils of foreign states and domestic terrorism.
4) Convert devices into active surveillance sources citing home security, public safety and the classic “what do you have to hide?”.
5) Do so as fast as possible without creating a revolt.
6) Have such pervasive surveillance that it becomes increasingly difficult to discuss, assemble and revolt.
7) Continue to introduce more controls, reduce freedoms, increase work week, taxes.
I do see some difference. Home, always on, always capable of transmitting, unlimited power means they can listen as much as they want.
The phone has to cherry pick phrases and capture times. With the right codex, the phone could keep recording for a long time after the right phrase or your IMEI is targeted. Still sub-optimal, but not as easy as Alexa. My bigger concern around phones is GPS data. That's why I've not had a phone in my name in the last twenty years and never owned a smart phone.
Now put the data sets from your phone, Alexa, your credit/debit card together and that paints quite a full picture.
The Ring device is very interesting. It faces the street. I mean, the house on the other side of the street. A network of those can track the movement of anyone that lives near one.
Doesn't even have to be a smartphone. Every telco is compromised and they can deploy whatever software they or their overlords want to the baseband processor.
