Google to Use PC Microphones to Listen In?

[BJ_M]

"The Register reports that Google plans to use PC microphones to collect statistics on a user's environment. Peter Norvig, who directs research at Google, told Technology Review that this software would start to show up in Google software 'sooner rather than later'. The software collects short sound clips and removes background noise. Google then targets its ads based on the statistics collected. With the current level of online privacy, this new level of invasion would seem to have frightening possibilities."


http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/09/03/google_eavesdropping_software/

[Conquest10]

This doesn't make sense. What is this software? What if a user does not have a microphone?

[Faustus]

Great. Now ALL my google ads will be porn...

[yoda313]

This doesn't make sense. What is this software? What if a user does not have a microphone?

Yeah and what about having the mic in muted??? I've done that in the past to make sure the video dubs didn't have any interference. Now I don't even have a microphone pluged in.

Besides how can they tap in directly with passive software??? Don't you have to reach out and plant some kind of software to pick up and turn on the mic? And you have to upload the sound live - so that would be a real pain in the but if you were on dialup. What if you're on a pc to pc call over a messenger program??? EAVESDROPPING ANYONE????

I don't see this gaining much traction....

[BJ_M]

it will be in all google software - it does not require the mic to be on and will work even with the mic in mute mode ....
you do not have to do anything



there is also the possibility at a future date to work with out a mic - as you can use any speaker as a mic also ... and most motherboards will support your speakers used as mics (cant do both at once though)

[Conquest10]

Yes, speakers can make cheap mics but how does it work when they are plugged into an output on a soundcard?

[drjtech]

If Google actually plans to do this at all I would expect it to be incorporated in Google Talk since it requires a microphone to function. I would also expect the EULA to spell this out clearly or they will be hit with a firestorm of protest.

http://www.google.com/talk/about.html

-drjtech

[BJ_M]

Yes, speakers can make cheap mics but how does it work when they are plugged into an output on a soundcard?

many motherboard sound ports can work in any mode - on the fly

[mattso]

Yes, speakers can make cheap mics but how does it work when they are plugged into an output on a soundcard?

many motherboard sound ports can work in any mode - on the fly

They already do this snooping with TVs (2-way A/V transceivers).

[Faustus]

ahah HA

linux

[BJ_M]

ahah HA

linux

Google at work on desktop Linux
Google is preparing its own distribution of Linux for the desktop, in a possible bid to take on Microsoft in its core business - desktop software.

A version of the increasingly popular Ubuntu desktop Linux distribution, based on Debian and the Gnome desktop, it is known internally as 'Goobuntu'.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/01/31/google_goes_desktop_linux/


http://www.google.com/linux

[Faustus]

The /linux page on google is really old.

Just like the firefox specific search. I don't think that Google is interested in an OS. Not yet. When and IF they are it will be something more userfriendly then the current linux offerings.

[BJ_M]

hence Goobuntu


btw - google is one the largest users of linux in the world .. their clusters are all running it for one thing

[Faustus]

I think you are missing my point. I doubt Google would release an OS based on Linux even with a Ubuntu core. Not user friendly enough.

If it they did so it would be like how OS X is BSD, meaning only at its very core with the whole UI and configuration changed. I don't see google biting something like that off. Not yet anyhow.

[BJ_M]

i agree - not yet anyhow