@gabriel
Interesting. From what we surmise from the image, design has flaws.
Also a phone doesn't need a #camera, only an infrared scanner perhaps for QR Codes?
If it can be flashed with fully #FOSS firmware for the radio/#WiFi and a fully FOSS OS that would be able to handle #I2P, Tor, Fediverse and #XMPP clients and connect to one's #BitcoinCore (or Monero) to transact over, say a local businesses #BTCPayServer, then we would fully endorse it.
From what we surmise from the image, design has flaws.
Absolutely.> If it can be flashed with fully FOSS firmware for...
Probably not, if it's like smartphones I wouldn't be surprised if it was built with the bare-minimum to upload the images/video to the cloud.
Definitely a fascinating UX concept to integrate into an actually free system though.
@gabriel
Put another way, if #allPhonesAreBad, and they are, we welcome anything that can disrupt.
Its not just the lack of fully FOSS firmwares for the #WiFi/modem/radio either. We have long decried the ills of video #consumption and how its not really longterm #sustainable in its current format. Something like this solves that.
Then, there is the #screenObsession. Again something like this very much solves that. :)
@gabriel
Yes your reference to them wanting it to be a #cloudUploadingDevice (or #CUD) for the ewes to chew on is a worst case scenario.
An interesting idea would be the phone does nothing, but talks to your #gnuLinux at home, which does all the logic for it. The only thing it needs to do is connect to your #PersonalComputer.
We can dream, but most importantly, push, for that.
That "Humane" gadget is a super creepy #dystopian horror mass #surveillance device. Sadly world is full of creeps who wanna introduce such stuff + naive gadgeteers who proudly wear them.. to eventual demise of our freedoms.
Better alternative might be possible. There's open source #LLM's and pre-trained models can run on reasonably small personal hardware. And yes, leave out the camera. But still there's the always-on mic.
How do you know whose gadget is good or evil, though?
Maybe a protocol that asks whether device is fully FOSS, also not sending data to any third parties. So if someone within audible distance is on the phone with a third party, your device might put a red light on to indicate that your discussion may be audible by a third party?
If corpos lie and claim FOSS then they can be sued each way to sunday, or maybe we can just steal their code. :P
Yea, but that is still not giving a guarantee that that led isn't just misleading you. When people wear a smartphone encrypted streams of data are already trickling to big tech and 3rd parties on a continual basis. No telling what PII is exfiltrated from you.
More privacy-aware devices have hardware switches to physically decouple camera and mic, etc. But still that needs people who take the hardware apart to verify proper impl.
It's just that as soon as it becomes normal that people wear such devices on their jacket or forehead or whatever, then pandora is out of the box already.
I really hope that each and every initiative like that meets its demise and people do not accept the #privacy invasion.
Probably wishful thinking, as so many folks love these gadgets. And there's many nice use cases to lure people into owning them.
We had Google "Glassholes" people didn't accept, but they were in-your-face.
@smallcircles@gabriel
Yes, possibly, the precursor towards ethical, fully-FOSS devices is just to have a device that detects unethical non-FOSS devices, within a close range.
Then at least you can open up the discussion by closing discussion on sensitive topics and redirecting it to "We can talk about that but my #DigitalFascismDetector is going off. See? Would you mind placing your device in the refrigerator?"
Currently already a thing. If I go visit people, do I know that there's an #Alexa sitting somewhere in the room with its fabulous spatial #microphone tech? Silently #spying.. or not?
If I become aware, do I then mention it to my host, and ask politely to turn it off? If they aren't willing to, or maybe someone else is using it at the same time, do I then pack my stuff and leave the building like Elvis 🕺?
How will people who love #gadgets, don't fret on #privacy, perceive me?
@smallcircles@gabriel
A visitor can take the discussion outside or to another room away from the device.
We suspect that a good host will respect your concerns. If not then they are asking you to partake in non-consensual interactions with a device.
Just knowing that a device is nearby, having it tell you would be a wonderful thing. Then just moving to another room and seeing the warning lights and alarm turn off, would be a marveling, maybe inspiring event for the average "#used" user.
Yes, I agree. A good form of #HumaneTech#activism is to bring up these topics of discussion in a gentle manner, that serves to make it socially acceptable. Instead of one who brings up their #privacy concerns being looked upon as some kind of conspiracy nut.
As you've seen I introduced the term of #Gadgeteer which is I think an appropriate word to name and shame those who carelessly put our collective #wellbeing in danger with their hipster tech.
@smallcircles@gabriel
If the modem/wifi/radio firmware is FOSS then we could conceivably determine a number of things about nearby devices. At the very least could probably determine whether a device is FOSS.
If it is finely tuned enough, it will help us to offer timely reminder's to people that, "Oh I can't talk about that with you because this light/alarm is beeping", You wouldn't happen to be using a non-liberated device would you?"
An #adversarial device that could detect if someone is a large cloud-connected beacon and a #privacy horror approaching you. Where you could say "Turn off your devices and we can have a nice time". Dunno if that's technically feasible, and its similarly socially awkward.
Another angle is regulation. Making #surveillance#spyware packaged as neat fun gadgets forbidden. But #governments are limping miles behind the bleeding edge, and have agencies that are salivating by all this.
@xianc78
FWIW I don't think the device itself is conceptually bunk.
A smartphone with gestures and a laser display instead of a screen is a pretty nifty idea. IMO the real issue with this is that it's entire OS is cloud based to it's just IRL spyware in a more overt way than smartphones even were.
I'm also concerned that gating the entire UX within an AI assistant will allow for a lot of control to be entirely taken out of the user's hands (literally!). "I can't do that, human."
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