New Xbox One by longtime NSA partner Microsoft to watch users 24/7?

50 Comments

“Possible privacy violations by Microsoft’s upcoming Xbox One have come under new scrutiny since it was revealed Thursday that the tech giant was a crucial partner in an expansive Internet surveillance program conducted by the National Security Agency and involving Silicon Valley’s biggest players,” William Green writes for The Daily Caller.

“One of the console’s key features is the full integration of the Kinect, a motion sensing camera that allows users to play games, scroll through menus, and generally operate the Xbox just using hand gestures,” Green writes. “What Microsoft has not promoted, however, is the fact that you will not be able to power on the console without first enabling the PRISMKinect, designed to detect both heartbeats and eye movement. and positioning yourself in front of it.”

Green writes, “Perhaps the feature most worryisome to privacy advocates is the requirement that the Xbox connect to the Internet at least once every 24 hours.”

“Many critics have asserted that Microsoft will follow the lead of other Silicon Valley companies and use their console to gather data about its users, particularly through the Kinect, and collect it through the online connection users can’t avoid,” Green writes.

Read more in the full article here.

MacDailyNews Take: Anyone who even thinks of covering the telescreen will be subject to immediate arrest and imprisonment.

Your worst enemy [is] your nervous system. At any moment the tension inside you [is] liable to translate itself into some visible symptom… Thoughtcrime does not entail death: thoughtcrime IS death… War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength. – George Orwell, 1984

[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Roberto” for the heads up.]

50 Comments

    1. This is a little off topic and maybe a little paranoid. But for those that did not like the Patriot Act under Bush should be even more concerned with it under Obama:

      The IRS is being used by Chicago politicians in the White House to intimidate the opposition and to affect the elections. Could it be that the Affordable Care Act, aka ObamaCare, will be used to eliminate the opposition by whoever is in power at the time?

      This is just a thought. A horrible thought.

      Reply

  5. iWatch will let the secret police watch and listen to you everywhere. The PuppetMasters will have the goods to extort and crush anyone in their way or anyone undesirable. To protect America of course.

    Reply

  6. Nobody cares if Microsoft (or even Google does it). To some (of my imperfect peers), Apple is the Mitt Romney of tech. Romney having a lot of cash is not what I hate about him. Some are trying to make Apple the poster boy for greed and arrogance. I despise these clueless people as much as I despise anyone’s hypocrisy, and I also despise Evil.

    Reply

      2. The real Evil is the continued promulgation of false dichotomies—like Good vs. Evil—and the crass manipulation of them to shape others’ thinking for their own ends.

        Reply

        2. It’s not like ‘Bubba’ isn’t just another member of the herd of the same. What’s sad is that this is apparently the best we can do in political leadership at this time. Deeply pathetic and detrimental.

          And no kiddies. Don’t look to the Republicans for anything better. Both ‘parties’ are worthless IMHO.

        3. Exactly, and the “problem” transcends politics; it only finds its more pernicious expression in that arena, amplified as it is through the synchronous tuning of herd minds. It’s not a bug, but a feature…

          No sapient species is free of the power and immediacy of the primordial limbic system: making individuals naturally self-serving, deceptive, predatory; operating without conscious thought; and articulating forms of these characteristics in kinship groups.

          Humans have rational thought but it’s dominated by instincts like these. How else to explain the universal propensity to believe our own lies, to justify them with magical thinking, to rationalize our actions with post hoc arguments using only supporting facts whilst ignoring the rest?

        4. Hannah, where have you been all life? 😉 <3 <3

          For me, this is the most crucial subject of our age. We have to figure out how to survive ourselves. Hannah is articulating it much better than I ever will. Thank you goddess.

        6. “Controversial Theories – We support objective teaching and equal treatment of all sides of scientific theories. We believe theories such as life origins and environmental change should be taught as challengeable scientific theories subject to change as new data is produced. Teachers and students should be able to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of these theories openly and without fear of retribution or discrimination of any kind.”

          “Knowledge-Based Education – We oppose the teaching of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) (values clarification), critical thinking skills and similar programs that are simply a relabeling of Outcome-Based Education (OBE) (mastery learning) which focus on behavior modification and have the purpose of challenging the student’s fixed beliefs and undermining parental authority.”

          As usual, more info helps clarify a stance.
          Lack of it shows bias.

          -Former Texas public schools student

        7. You do believe, Evil exists – right?

          Understanding you meant to say,

          Real evil, is this ability to blur the lines of two sides that are in contrast, (like right vs. wrong); to confuse the differences each side presents, in order to manipulate another person for self gain.

          I’d be interested in your views and/or opinions regarding evil when considering criminals such as “Nikolai Dzhurmongaliev”, “Tsutomu Miyazaki” or “Jeffrey Dahmer” – ritualistic, sociopath, a paranoid schizophrenic.

          Differences in how the mind is wired, can this effect the perception as to the root of evil?

          These criminals manipulated their victims into a position where they could be further manipulated them until death; for their own pleasure. During the crime, there was no remorse or pause for question.

          Is that not evil?

        8. Of course it’s evil.

          Evil has many dimensions, more than most of us realize. To oppose it is more important than to define it. Yet the combat that evil itself invites only strengthens it; seek other methods; beginning with better understanding one’s own thoughts and passions, to mirror oneself in others. (I Ching)

        9. Very well articulated, though I was wondering what your thoughts were on those who were wired differently. Specifically with the inclination of taking others lives. Generally the masses are good folk; faith in the human race. However, every once in a while by nature, something just doesn’t fuse as coded in the popular plan the DNA.

          Evil is not an invention, yet a word we defined to clarify this difference for others to see and understand. And it is strongly believed evil exists in a rare handful of seemingly random few of unfortunate people by nature. A fluke, by chance, an anomaly yet naturally occurring. Not by their choice. Its not taught or nor programmed or forced by others – its there deep within the code of who that person became from birth.

          I Chang, yes learning of oneself though the observations of others. A path taken since my childhood grasshopper. Salamat. Tres bien. Thank you for writing and sharing a response.

      3. Ah, but without Evil, how would you recognize Good?

        What a stupid movie line that was. People’s treating of evil as some natural behavior boggles my mind. Evil is a human invention that is nothing better than plain old self-destructive behavior. Why people become so self-denigrating is a frontier of psychology.

        Reply

        1. i beg to differ, i believe some of us are wired differently, some times this wiring can cause quantum leaps for mankind, while other wiring can cause mass destruction – evil is not invented though the term or word is.

        1. At times, you instigate this trampling on the opinions of others. With disrespect and profanity, you play judge and jury here at MDN, provoking disruption for pleasure. Commonly know as trolling, though delusional to your irresponsible decision that you began; trolling the trolls or providing bait to those only you feel are, is in fact, no different then being the Troll yourself.

          It doesn’t nor should it be the case here. And membership, log-in handles and/or profiles do not grant anyone any more or less credibility.

  8. … War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength. – George Orwell, 1984

    Last time I wrote that I got every Jeb, Jed, Bud, tea party going over-patriotized killer bee republican buzzing around looking to sting me.

    We have enemies within as well as outside. Blind patriotism allows the enemy within complete shelter. Critical thinking is what we need.

    Reply

  11. The same people who get “up in arms” about potential privacy concerns are the same primates who upload personal pictures and information about themselves, freely, on their favorite social networks.

    We live in a time where it’s no longer about an individuals experience but rather a global one.

    Reply

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