Xbox One Microsoft will "aggressively challenge" any government attempt to spy through Kinect

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ozadin

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Seems like the rumor with the Kinect spying on everyone is false, or Microsoft may be spreading false information about actually trying to counter the NSA about spying since there was an article a few weeks ago about Microsoft collaborating with the NSA to spy, and give the information they get from people. Microsoft may seem they are dedicated to protecting our privacy, but in the end, the government always wins. If they want information from Microsoft, they will get it through forcing. Even with Google, one of the most popular companies out there will have to hand over information to the NSA. Still very frightening to see that Microsoft is publically denouncing the government and literally challenging them to take away the information from them..

Microsoft has also rejected claims that it will allow the NSA to gather data via the Xbox One's Kinect sensor, which is required for the console to run. "Absent a new law, we don't believe the government has the legal authority to compel us or any other company that makes products with cameras and microphones to start collecting voice and video data," reads a comment mailed to the Verge. "And we'd aggressively challenge in court any attempts to try and force us to do so."
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Via: OXM
 
Man, I thought the spying thing was just a ridiculous joke floating around the internet. Guess they needed to address it because it was much more than that. I wasn't aware about the actual rumors.

It still sounds kinda suspicious, though.
 
I don't think there's going to by any spying, at least not in the way the rumors are describing. People already have cameras and microphones all over the place: on their computers and laptops, on cell phones, GPSs...you name it. If the government wanted to spy on people, there are far better options than the Kinect. Plus, I have no idea what they'd be trying to find in that capacity.
 
Claptrap said:
Man, I thought the spying thing was just a ridiculous joke floating around the internet. Guess they needed to address it because it was much more than that. I wasn't aware about the actual rumors.

It still sounds kinda suspicious, though.
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Reading this though, where there is smoke there is fire. Even if Microsoft wanted to deny the NSA who say's they get a choice. The only real counter to this is to drop the Kinect as a mandatory option. They sort of deny it but then admit a law could change things. MS needs to drop this Kinect thing. It is killing them. Have it be an option and be done with it.
 
This camera will cause long worries a lot of people!
The best thing was not to integrate the console is compulsory. Microsoft has chosen confrontation, and they must pay a lot of stuff for it.

The Xbox is obviously a console lose fans. Microsoft needs to fix everything!
Better communication, surprises and no obligations!
 
AvalonX said:
Reading this though, where there is smoke there is fire. Even if Microsoft wanted to deny the NSA who say's they get a choice. The only real counter to this is to drop the Kinect as a mandatory option. They sort of deny it but then admit a law could change things. MS needs to drop this Kinect thing. It is killing them. Have it be an option and be done with it.
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Yes, but then Microsoft will be called wishy washy as with the family sharing debacle. Seriously though, who is on their public relations team? Did this issue seriously not come up before the product and rules were introduced to the public? It's as though Microsoft was in a race to produce a new console before Christmas. Plus, Nintendo and Sony put out new systems so of course Microsoft has to get in the game or they'll loose market shares. It all seems like a race to the finish line. Microsoft just wanted to get something out.
 
Good to see Microsoft make a statement on this as I'm sure many were worried about it and the potential outcome of it. With the recent public outcry of the NSA leaks, it's easy to see why gamers were anxious about Kinect and it's connection to the NSA, especially since the Kinect is a required device. Still, it's too early to tell what will happen, so the best thing to do is just wait and see how it all plays out.
 
AvalonX said:
Reading this though, where there is smoke there is fire. Even if Microsoft wanted to deny the NSA who say's they get a choice. The only real counter to this is to drop the Kinect as a mandatory option. They sort of deny it but then admit a law could change things. MS needs to drop this Kinect thing. It is killing them. Have it be an option and be done with it.
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Yeah. I think dropping the Kinect requeriment would definitely ease things for them. People afraid of the spyin might just buy an Xbone without Kinect. Better for Msoft than people not buying the Xbone at all.
 
I really do think Microsoft needs to identify and then immediately fire whatever idiots were put in charged of this system. I mean - the "family share" is basically just demo share copied from Sony, this Kinect thing is sheeving out all the people who do less than legal things around their 360, and the PR for this rig has been failtastic. Seriously, why didn't anyone review any of this or poll people about this before release time started coming up?
 
Ridiculous rumors have been addressed before. How much terrorism is going to be prevented by the NSA watching you play in your living room? None. Microsoft is probably responding to this because of recent allegations they actually helped the NSA. This makes them look better
 
Courts do use data from cell phones and service providers to incarcerate people. A lot of people don't realize that their phones and local towers are triangulating their location whether they have a GPS or are actually making calls. This data can be used to put you at the scene of a crime. I think the Kinect will be used the same way. I don't think it will be constantly spying on everyone, but on the other hand it could certainly be used to convict you if you do something you shouldn't with data that it may be mining. I think Microsoft needs to do a better job of addressing privacy concerns by just letting people feel confident that the thing isn't on or by making it optional.
 
You know, I have been wondering about this ever since I started using the Kinect. My husband and I leave it sitting on our TV stand in our living room 24 hours a day, and we hang out in the living room most of the time. Also, I'm not gonna lie, when we first got it, we did a naked-dance in front of it for fun. Basically, though, I've always wondered if I'm secretly being spied on. I really wouldn't feel comfortable if I knew that ANYONE could see what we were doing/saying 24/7. That seems like a MAJOR breach of privacy.
 
What they say may not be what they end up actually doing, but I applaud the PR department for making a statement like this anyways. If they're going to require people to use a camera that is constantly watching and listening to them, addressing worries regarding the NSA and PRISM and such can only be a good thing.
 
I think that this is definitely a step in the right direction , but it's just a vague promise at the moment. They never told anyone that they signed the NSA agreement , that was all done in secret, so why would they not lie to us about this? As much as I want to see this as something positive, I just can't help to be skeptical after the whole NSA debacle.
 
These are just words. They have worked together and they will work together. The government won't just sit there and watch their main opportunities to spy on people go down and the big companies won't just sit there and watch their tax privileges and similar things being taken way.
 
Reptar_On_Ice said:
What they say may not be what they end up actually doing, but I applaud the PR department for making a statement like this anyways. If they're going to require people to use a camera that is constantly watching and listening to them, addressing worries regarding the NSA and PRISM and such can only be a good thing.
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A victory for the PR department is still a complete fail on behalf of the consumer. I say that because I don't see them actually dealing with worries, at this point they're just making the kind of vague promises I would expect of them at this point. This is especially true in light of their agreement with the NSA which they cheerfully didn't mention at all.
 
Esperahol said:
A victory for the PR department is still a complete fail on behalf of the consumer. I say that because I don't see them actually dealing with worries, at this point they're just making the kind of vague promises I would expect of them at this point. This is especially true in light of their agreement with the NSA which they cheerfully didn't mention at all.
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I agree wholeheartedly, and think even buying an Xbox One is a complete fail on behalf of the consumer, but I still think it's a good move from PR to try and sweep this all under the rug, rather than just not addressing it period.
 
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