Xbox One Kinect Spying Via NSA PRISM - does this help Sony?

[AvalonX]

Surely they can find a way to get this into their marketing. It's almost unbelievable.
Xbox One Kinect Spying Via NSA PRISM A Target Of ?We Are Watching You Act Of 2013?

The Xbox One Kinect 2.0′s potential for spying is a target of a new Congressional bill called “We Are Watching You Act Of 2013″ due to privacy concerns.

And, no, I didn’t make that name up for the bill.

As previously reported by The Inquisitr, the announcement of the Xbox One $499 price point after all the other Microsoft stumbles had some critics claiming Sony has already won the latest console war with the PlayStation 4.

Now Microsoft has to deal with Congress if the ”We Are Watching You Act Of 2013″ bill is passed by both the House and Senate. The Xbox One Kinect 2.0 is being touted as a main feature by Microsoft. Most of the basic functionality assumes the Xbox One Kinect is turned on all the time.

Read more at Xbox One Kinect Spying Via NSA PRISM A Target Of ?We Are Watching You Act Of 2013?

To think this company has their software on 90% of the PCs out there. Sony can take advantage of this in a big way I would think.

 

[DrRipley]

With the ”We Are Watching You Act Of 2013″ any Xbox One Kinect spying will pretty much be impossible (unless it’s sanctioned by Congress and the NSA). ”We Are Watching You Act Of 2013″ will require the Xbox One Kinect, or any other camera-equipped device, to display the message “We are watching you” whenever viewers are being monitored for any reason. The bill would also require devices like the Xbox One Kinect to provide a camera or Kinect-free user experience. If the Xbox One Kinect collects any data this info must be displayed on-screen.
Read more at Xbox One Kinect Spying Via NSA PRISM A Target Of ?We Are Watching You Act Of 2013?

This statement on the article got to me the most. It seems like a good thing to at least have some notice when you are being watched, but I'd prefer just not having the camera in my home in the first place. I find it funny that we are even having to discuss this because it almost sounds too absurd. I hope a better OS surfaces soon so we can all stop supporting this greedy company, but for now, at least we can make our thoughts known through console sales, and yes, I think this news will just fuel the flame even more and will gain PS even more audience.

 

[Joel]

I feel like I do need to play devil's advocate. I've read a lot about this. I have the original Kinect and here's my thoughts. I think its entirely possible that your personal data can be taken from the Xbox 1 and put into the hands of someone else. Now, current privacy law/policies by Microsoft says you have to agree to that. There's no reason why a hacker couldn't get to it. Both Microsoft and Sony have robust departments whose only job is to build software/hardware that fights against tampering and hackers so you know what will be will be.

The biggest thing I think is silly about this is that people are up in arms about the Xbox One when we're already surrounded by devices that are always on. My cell phone has a camera, mic and has more personal data on it then on my Xbox or PS or PC or Macbook. There's nothing saying that it could not be hacked and my data taken. We go by a traffic camera we're caught there. We're in stores. We're in schools. We're at work. All these places full of mics and cameras.

My friends, we're not introducing a spy to our house, the spies have been alive and well for years, watching you, listening to you, collecting data and making profit from it. The PS 4 even has the capability of being hacked and your personal data being taken from that. I get that the scariest part of Kinect 2.0 is its a camera in your living room. So is all the other electronic devices in there.

I know every argument has flaws, but we're not going to stop people from spying on us, unless your house or at least electronic gaming room was segregated from the rest of the house.

 

[JBMedia]

It's absolutely ridiculous that Microsoft would even consider doing this. Or is it? Then again, Bill Gates does lead the company and has been known to do some shady things in the past. Regardless of that matter, this can do nothing but help Sony and Playstation out as a whole for the new consoles release.

Which I hope it does. In my opinion, the online platform, PSN, that Playstation has is much more efficient and professional looking compared to XBOX Live. Hopefully, they can continue in that path with the Playstation 4.

 

[RedXuchilbara]

Maybe help get more gamers to make the switch to PlayStation, no one wants to be spied on!
like why would anyone buy a Xbox: one, if they knew they are going to have that camera pointed at them when ever they play a game, or watch TV??

 

[Joker99352]

I think this whole thing is a bunch of nonsense. The NSA thing has affected so many different facets of the public sphere; it's hard to avoid hearing about it. That said, I don't care for the Kinect being a standard feature with the Xbox One, but it doesn't really have any effect on my wanting the console to begin with.

 

[Jellyfish]

I don't think that it will help much. People will forget about that scandal relatively soon. And when it comes to fun and entertainment most people don't care about security issues. Look around, you see it everywhere.

I don't connect my consoles to the net most of the time so I hope I can get away with it.

 

[Medza]

Recently Microsoft has actually announced that they will fight all privacy breaches, which is odd considering that they signed the prism agreement. It looks like Microsoft has dug a deep hole , fell into it and its not struggling to get out. This definitely works in Sony's favour , and E3 was the first show of who the public really support. But I guess there are still many events to come, with Gamescom and the Gamestop expo around the corner, the tides might yet turn. I would say that we would a good battle , but the war can still be won by Microsoft.

 

[Esperahol]

I feel like I do need to play devil's advocate. I've read a lot about this. I have the original Kinect and here's my thoughts. I think its entirely possible that your personal data can be taken from the Xbox 1 and put into the hands of someone else. Now, current privacy law/policies by Microsoft says you have to agree to that. There's no reason why a hacker couldn't get to it. Both Microsoft and Sony have robust departments whose only job is to build software/hardware that fights against tampering and hackers so you know what will be will be.

The biggest thing I think is silly about this is that people are up in arms about the Xbox One when we're already surrounded by devices that are always on. My cell phone has a camera, mic and has more personal data on it then on my Xbox or PS or PC or Macbook. There's nothing saying that it could not be hacked and my data taken. We go by a traffic camera we're caught there. We're in stores. We're in schools. We're at work. All these places full of mics and cameras.

My friends, we're not introducing a spy to our house, the spies have been alive and well for years, watching you, listening to you, collecting data and making profit from it. The PS 4 even has the capability of being hacked and your personal data being taken from that. I get that the scariest part of Kinect 2.0 is its a camera in your living room. So is all the other electronic devices in there.

I know every argument has flaws, but we're not going to stop people from spying on us, unless your house or at least electronic gaming room was segregated from the rest of the house.

I applaud your attempt, but here is the problem - while my other electronic devices might be hacked and my information stolen... the Kinect 2.0 is out of my control. Any time I connect to the Internet with this the data being generated in my home is being released with/out my knowledge to who knows who. By contrast the information from the store or the stoplight isn't just about me - it's about the public and it's about the security of an area. Look at the Boston Bombing - camera data was a large part of that investigation and that's why they are allowed. By contrast maybe being able to tap the data in their Kinect could have helped them or it could have led to the targeting of more "conventional" targets - that is more Muslim looking or sounding teenagers who happen to be talking junk. And that is the issue - what data are they looking at and where is it going and who is going over it? It's basic entrapment and it should not be allowed. I can lock my cell phone and they'll need a warrant. I can password protect my computer and they'll need a warrant. Fourth amendment and they'll need a warrant, but my Xbone can just sell me out? Forget that.

 

[Reptar_On_Ice]

Even the very concept of Microsoft spying on people helps the PS4, regardless of whether they actually do it or not. With a lack of voice commands and built-in camera functionality, the PS4 really stands a lot to gain from the rumor, regardless of whether it's true or not. I mean, it really can't backfire on Sony, can it?

 

[Jellyfish]

Recently Microsoft has actually announced that they will fight all privacy breaches, which is odd considering that they signed the prism agreement. It looks like Microsoft has dug a deep hole , fell into it and its not struggling to get out. This definitely works in Sony's favour , and E3 was the first show of who the public really support. But I guess there are still many events to come, with Gamescom and the Gamestop expo around the corner, the tides might yet turn. I would say that we would a good battle , but the war can still be won by Microsoft.

I don't think it's odd that they say that. They are just saying what people wanna hear. I have read articles and seen documentations from 1995 and even 1989 that already told about everything what's in the news right now (of course in relation to the conditions back then).

They always worked together and always will.