I must admit we shop a lot at Amazon. We know it’s far from perfect, but it is convenient and it has many positive features.
The question now is whether we’re going to trust its latest program, which some think will impinge on our privacy.
Amazon is rolling out its Sidewalk program tomorrow, which it claims will improve the effectiveness of it’s internet driven devices by connecting portions of your internet with your neighbors’.
You will be automatically enrolled unless you opt-out – a feature most businesses use and is anti-consumer. Companies should let you opt-in if you want, instead of forcing you opt-out if you are not interested.
We will tell you how to out-out. Mine was already enabled when I checked last week.
I don’t know whether Sidewalk with turn out to be a good thing or a bad thing. For me it’s too early to tell. But for now I’m out.
Others are less ambivalent.
Ct Attorney General William Tong today said the program raises concerns “about consumer privacy and protections.”
“Our smart home devices already have access to our most personal spaces and information, and now Amazon wants to use them to form a shared neighborhood network.
“This is uncharted territory for the privacy and security of devices like Alexa, Echo and Ring, and existing users of those products will be defaulted into the Amazon Sidewalk network automatically on June 8.
“Wireless networks are already notoriously vulnerable to hacks and breaches, and families need better information and more time before giving away a portion of their bandwidth to this new system. I urge families to consider the pros and cons of joining Amazon Sidewalk, and to opt-out unless fully confident their privacy and security will be protected,” the Attorney General said in a press statement.
And from Gizmodo:
“If the idea of sharing part of your network with the neighbors is totally fine with you, please consider the fact that Amazon is a company of liars who cannot be trusted.” says the plain-speaking Gizmodo column.
“Despite its promises to keep your data safe, Amazon doesn’t have a stellar track record on this front,” it writes.
“Just take Ring for example. The Amazon subsidiary, which offers a neighborhood watch app and smart home security system (and thus acts as a quasi-surveillance network for the nation’s police departments), has had a slew of privacy kerfuffles ever since the tech giant bought it for $1 billion back in 2018″ says the column written by by Lucas Ropek,
Check out the results of its investigation into Ring.
However, Connecticut tech wizard Lon Seidman has a different take on it, saying it is harmless and is similar to what other tech companies do.
“Lots of hysteria about Amazon sidewalk in the news. Here’s what it is and what it isn’t. It’s not much different from what Apple, Google, and even Comcast do with your devices. The difference is Amazon disclosed it to customers. Even privacy centric Apple didn’t do that.” he said on his Facebook feed.
This is his YouTube review on Lon.Tv:
https://www.facebook.com/lonreviewstech/videos/547419566636187
Amazon describes its program this way:
“Sidewalk is a shared network that helps devices work better. Operated by Amazon at no charge to customers, Sidewalk can help simplify new device setup, extend the low-bandwidth working range of devices to help find pets or valuables with Tile trackers, and help devices stay online even if they are outside the range of their home wifi.
“In the future, Sidewalk will support a range of experiences from using Sidewalk-enabled devices, such as smart security and lighting and diagnostics for appliances and tools.”
Ring, Echo, and Tile products are the critical products that would use Sidewalk.
Amazon insists that privacy is it’s critical concern:
“Preserving customer privacy and security is foundational to how we’ve built Amazon Sidewalk. Sidewalk is designed with multiple layers of privacy and security to secure data traveling on the network and to keep customers safe and in control. For example, Sidewalk Bridge owners do not receive any information about devices owned by others connected to Sidewalk. Learn more here.
To opt-out:
- Open the Alexa app
. - Open More
and select Settings. - Select Account Settings.
- Select Amazon Sidewalk.
- Turn Amazon Sidewalk On or Off for your account.
