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Thinking back to landline days and what we've given up for convenience...
I remember when our phone was stuck to the wall in the kitchen... now everything listens and learns from us. My smart fridge just ordered more milk after I said we were low out loud... which is handy but also kinda spooky. It makes me wonder if we're letting tech get too close without asking enough questions... like who really hears all that stuff. Sometimes I miss when gadgets just did their job without trying to guess my next move... and I'm not sure if that's progress or a step too far.
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jessica1307mo ago
Your fridge just bought milk because it heard you say something? That's not a helper, it's a housemate that makes its own decisions. We programmed these things to listen but we never agreed to let them act without asking. It's one thing to get a weird ad, it's another to have your kitchen appliances spending your money. That's a line getting crossed without anyone noticing until the milk shows up.
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wren_palmer457mo ago
That point about letting tech get too close hits home. I see it everywhere now, like how my TV suggests shows based on conversations near it. We just accept that our devices are always listening because it makes things easier. But then you realize your ads are weirdly specific after talking about a product once. It's like we're all part of a big, quiet experiment where nobody reads the terms. Funny how we call that progress.
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davidmason7mo ago
The ad thing after talking about a product is the creepiest. In my place, I went into the settings on my smart TV and any voice-controlled device and turned off the voice detection features. It stops the suggestions from being quite so spooky, even if it means using the remote a bit more.
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evaf127mo ago
Honestly, your fridge ordering milk is nothing. My Alexa once bought a year's supply of paper towels because I cursed at a spill, and now I'm stuck with them everywhere.
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