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foxsteve
Premium Member
join:2001-12-28
Campbell, CA

2 edits

foxsteve

Premium Member

Using computer's internal microphone for overhearing

»www.techcrunch.com/2006/ ··· content/ (redirected to »ad.doubleclick.net/adi/N ··· 9871955?)
said by Marshall Kirkpatrick :

A team from Google Research has developed a prototype system that uses a home computer’s internal microphone to listen to the ambient audio in a room, determine what is being watched on TV and offer web-based supplemental information, services and shopping contextual to each program being watched. It’s strange, but it sounds like it works and people might really like it. There’s no indication yet whether or when this could be available as a service.

.....

The system compresses the captured audio into irreversible (emphasis theirs) summary statistics which are then compared to a database of mass media statistics and used to determine what the browser should display. Possible service offerings discussed in the paper fall into four categories:
Personalized information layers Here’s what Tom Cruise is wearing in the show you are watching and here’s where you can buy the same clothes in your zip code.
Ad hoc social peer communities If you would like to chat about this show, ten of your college friends are watching it right now as well.
Real-time popularity ratings Nielsen requires hardware and the results aren’t available in real-time. You might want to know if there is a spike in viewers watching the show on channel 9 right now. Advertisers might want to know that too.
TV- based bookmarks Click to save a show or clip into your video library and there will be more than just a few shows available for watching later.

The system requires no dedicated television-connected hardware, protects users’ privacy and is technically feasible, the researchers report. Experiments with a laptop placed in the lap of a person ten feet from a television and engaged in loud conversation with some one next to them were successful in providing matching online content - when channel surfing was taken into account.
Google should be blocked by default and unblocked temporary only, when you need its search service.
The Antihero
join:2002-04-09
Enola, PA

The Antihero

Member

"People might really like it?"

Sounds like they're smoking something, and they're not sharing it with the rest of it.
dave
Premium Member
join:2000-05-04
not in ohio

1 recommendation

dave to foxsteve

Premium Member

to foxsteve
"offer web-based supplemental information" ::= "show adverts"

Steve
I know your IP address

join:2001-03-10
Tustin, CA

Steve to foxsteve

to foxsteve
What "internal microphone" ?
dave
Premium Member
join:2000-05-04
not in ohio

dave

Premium Member

It's part of the DRM hardware, silly. The NSA insisted on it.
Nanaki (banned)
aka novaflare. pull punches? Na
join:2002-01-24
Akron, OH

Nanaki (banned) to foxsteve

Member

to foxsteve
id like to see direct tv make use of that usb port on the back of their boxes. Maybe have it connect to your computer and interface with a program on your comp. Say have it give you the scedual for new episodes of your fav shows and maybe include similar things to what google is messing with. Ive seen some pretty damn nice sunglasses bikes and the like on tv and movies and never have been able to find the exact model etc. Id persionaly only use it if i had 100% control over the application and knew exactly what it was sending out.

Steve
I know your IP address

join:2001-03-10
Tustin, CA

1 recommendation

Steve to dave

to dave
said by dave:

It's part of the DRM hardware, silly. The NSA insisted on it.
You mean Microsoft, right?
HMS1
join:2006-01-14
Austin, TX

HMS1 to foxsteve

Member

to foxsteve
At least Google admits what it's doing when asking people to agree to it (toolbar, desktop search, Gmail etc.).

Microsoft would just do it and when it was discovered would make some marginally plausible excuse about "improving the user experience" or some such rubbish.

Spyware makers would do it (and have done with Flash, IIRC) and argue that it's not illegal and sue anyone who called it spyware. The NSA would do it secretly and cite "national security" to deny the public any information about it.

Google's approach is the best of these. They'll bundle some real benefit with it and actually persuade people to sign up.

batterup
I Can Not Tell A Lie.
Premium Member
join:2003-02-06
Netcong, NJ

batterup to foxsteve

Premium Member

to foxsteve
We should be afraid, very afraid.

dadkins
Can you do Blu?
MVM
join:2003-09-26
Hercules, CA

dadkins to Steve

MVM

to Steve
said by Steve:

What "internal microphone" ?
Yeah! What internal microphone?

Corehhi
join:2002-01-28
Bluffton, SC

Corehhi

Member

I have no internal mic that I know of. If there's one on my MOBO it's well hidden.

We'll go back to "What the Hell, internal mic?".
VMP
Premium Member
join:2004-09-10
Huntington Beach, CA

VMP to foxsteve

Premium Member

to foxsteve
I'm hopping on the bandwagon ... yeah, what internal microphone and how do I disable it.

NetFixer
From My Cold Dead Hands
Premium Member
join:2004-06-24
The Boro
Netgear CM500
Pace 5268AC
TRENDnet TEW-829DRU

1 edit

NetFixer to dadkins

Premium Member

to dadkins
said by dadkins:
said by Steve:

What "internal microphone" ?
Yeah! What internal microphone?
Every late model notebook I have seen has an internal microphone. I also have recently seen both CRT and LCD monitors with built-in microphones, so I suspect that many desktop systems also arguably have internal microphones (internal to the monitor) as well. The ubiquitous Macromedia flash player browser add-in has the ability to turn on local microphones and cameras from a web site, so actually implementing it is not so far fetched or difficult (for Google, or the FBI, or the NSA).

EDIT:
For Macromedia microphone settings go to »www.macromedia.com/suppo ··· p03.html
For Macromedia camera settings go to »www.macromedia.com/suppo ··· p04.html

dadkins
Can you do Blu?
MVM
join:2003-09-26
Hercules, CA

1 edit

2 recommendations

dadkins

MVM


Nope
Vintage - Aug 2004 VGN-A190 laptop... no mic.
I have to use my webcam for a mic to even voice chat.

Vintage 2001? PCG-FXA63... no way it has a mic!

Maybe when I purchase a new laptop... not any time soon though. Both VAIOs working as new still!

EDIT: This is the Microphone Check, I am playing Joe Satriani - Follow.
Blasting at 120WATTS Per channel, continuos. 0.005 THD, Screen is blurry even as I type this!

Trust me, if there was a mic, it would register something...

AB57
Premium Member
join:2006-04-04
equatorial

1 recommendation

AB57

Premium Member

said by dadkins:

This is the Microphone Check, I am playing Joe Satriani - Follow.
Blasting at 120WATTS Per channel, continuos. 0.005 THD, Screen is blurry even as I type this!

Trust me, if there was a mic, it would register something...
I heard that, dadkins!!
61999674 (banned)
Gotta Do What Ya Gotta Do
join:2000-09-02
Here

61999674 (banned) to foxsteve

Member

to foxsteve
WOW people sure have become paranoid, first it was the camera in your monitor(guess the monitor itself IS the camera) that watches you watch the monitor(going to go blind doing that) and what is going on in the background, now it is a mic "listening" in.

Ok, many years ago I stopped smoking grass because it tended to make me paranoid(being illegal may have been a factor), everyone was watching me, everyone knew I was high, etc.

Maybe a few more people need to stop the drug use ?? Or maybe see their Doctor and have their Med levels checked ....

There is a "good" level of paranoia, but this is WAY outside tolerances.

djr777
Premium Member
join:2005-01-25
Pacific Grove, CA

djr777 to foxsteve

Premium Member

to foxsteve
ok.. .

A couple days ago I downloaded either google bar or my bar.I uninstalled it and ran spybot and adware. upon reboot..for the first time ever i had a microphone sitting in my task bar. I had to follow it to my sound speech and audio devices to get rid of it.... ??

Telly Boot
Premium Member
join:2002-05-15
Vancouver, BC

Telly Boot to foxsteve

Premium Member

to foxsteve
I've had a quick read through the research paper, however what this article reminds me of is the April Fool's Day hoax article of about 10 years ago (PC Magazine?) that reported the widespread use of the internal speaker in PC's as a microphone to listen in on conversations using stealth methods.
Just Basics
join:2003-06-08
Painter, VA

Just Basics to foxsteve

Member

to foxsteve
Many of the newer laptops have internal microphones and they have been available as options for years. MAC Powerbooks and HP Omnibooks have them to name a few.

dadkins
Can you do Blu?
MVM
join:2003-09-26
Hercules, CA

1 recommendation

dadkins to foxsteve

MVM

to foxsteve
Some newer laptops have built-in webcams too, should we all take an icepick to them?
Expand your moderator at work

Frydays
join:2005-10-21
South Padre Island, TX

Frydays to foxsteve

Member

to foxsteve

Re: Using computer's internal microphone for overhearing

if its a mic just put a piece of duck tape over it and thats it they cant listen no more

quitaccount
DSLR sucks cocks
Premium Member
join:2000-11-13

1 recommendation

quitaccount to foxsteve

Premium Member

to foxsteve
i'd like to see what they can hear over my CPU fan.....

........it sounds like a harrier is taking off from under my desk
nunsuperior
join:2004-04-07
Northridge, CA

nunsuperior

Member

Great, just what I need, more ads for porn. I can't wait for the Firefox plug-in for MicBlocker.

Viet Vet
Support Our Troops
Premium Member
join:2005-12-17
Baldwin, NY

1 recommendation

Viet Vet to foxsteve

Premium Member

to foxsteve
There is protection available on this Web Site, (just make sure you have on a anti static wrist strap and are facing the East)!!!

»zapatopi.net/afdb/
bdlucas
join:2002-08-16

bdlucas to Telly Boot

Member

to Telly Boot
You're misreading the article. It's describing some software that Google may offer for you to download and install in the future that performs this function. It doesn't refer to any surreptitious use of the microphone.

Nancymca
Security Goddess, retired.
Premium Member
join:2001-09-30
Voorheesville, NY

1 recommendation

Nancymca

Premium Member

Exactly who in their right mind would consider listening in on *their* room a "service"?

It's a tad "1984" for my mind......

whizkid3
MVM
join:2002-02-21
Queens, NY

1 recommendation

whizkid3 to foxsteve

MVM

to foxsteve
After reading this, if I had any built in microphone, I would immediately take an ice-pick (thanks dadkins) to it, if I couldn't open the case and snip its wires.

No built in microphones on my PCs, monitors or webcams.

No laptop, but now I know what to do when I get one.

La Luna
Fly With The Angels My Beloved Son Chris
Premium Member
join:2001-07-12
New Port Richey, FL

La Luna to foxsteve

Premium Member

to foxsteve
While this in no way causes my *OMG, DANGER!!!* radar to shoot up (rather, it causes my *OMG, DUMB!!!* radar to go up), I really can't see anyone wanting this...the four possible "uses" given don't sound like anything the masses would be interested in. Who would possibly want MORE ads or give a hoot about "real time" Nielson ratings?

Maybe it could be used as a baby monitor, determining by the type of cry from the baby whether it's hungry or needs changed or is sick.
SUMware2
Premium Member
join:2002-05-21

SUMware2 to 61999674

Premium Member

to 61999674
said by 61999674:

WOW people sure have become paranoid, first it was the camera in your monitor(guess the monitor itself IS the camera) that watches you watch the monitor(going to go blind doing that) and what is going on in the background, now it is a mic "listening" in.
There is a "good" level of paranoia, but this is WAY outside tolerances.
Applications that are created with Macromedia Flash may want to have access to the camera and/or microphone available on your computer. Privacy settings let you specify whether you want applications from a particular website to have such access. Note that it is the person or company that has created the application you are using that is requesting such access, not Macromedia (unless Macromedia has created the application that wants access to your camera or microphone).

It is the responsibility of the person or company requesting access to make it clear to you why they want access and how they plan to use the audio or video. You should be aware of the privacy policy of anyone who is requesting audio or video access.

The Microphone object lets you capture audio from a microphone attached to the computer that is running the Macromedia Flash Player.