Bose Headphones Secretly Collected User Data, Lawsuit Reveals
No.
The lawsuit alleges (innocent until proven guilty) that the Bose completely optional app - not the headphones - collects too much data and shares it with 3rd parties without the user's consent.
Which is bad if true, but it is a far cry from the "your headphones are spying on you" that the headline claims.
Unsurprisingly, Slashdot probably picked this up to take yet another a jab at Apple.
In the article it says you can use the headphones without the app. Bose "encourages" customers to download and use the app with the headphones. That should give it away. Why do you think they want you to use their app? You can adjust the app settings - presumably what it can and cannot do. It seems what Bose did wrong was not be clear up front as to what the default result of using the app would be. That's not quite as bad as your smart TV spying on you if you connect it to your internet connected LAN.
My wife bought a Wave IV Soundtouch with a 30-day return policy - the only good policy they have and the one we exercised.
Want to set the thing up and use the features you paid for like Internet radio? You have to use the app. The first thing the app requires to even start setup is access to your location. WTF? Then there is their so-called "privacy" policy (which is currently so private that they have broken links on their site so you can't even find it now) that allows them to track your listening (which
This was for the longest time the approach to security. How high is the damage if our customer data gets lost? How much would it cost to secure it? It costs HOW MUCH? Screw security!
Only when laws were passed that made CEOs personally (!) liable (yes, with their private money) if they can't show that they've taken reasonable steps to secure it, suddenly security became an issue.
And we won't see anything being done in favor of privacy unless corporations feel the govenments' boots on their necks.
Sigh. I know this is Slashdot, but come on!
No.
The lawsuit alleges (innocent until proven guilty) that the Bose completely optional app - not the headphones - collects too much data and shares it with 3rd parties without the user's consent.
Which is bad if true, but it is a far cry from the "your headphones are spying on you" that the headline claims.
Unsurprisingly, Slashdot probably picked this up to take yet another a jab at Apple.
Now, queue ignor
In the article it says you can use the headphones without the app. Bose "encourages" customers to download and use the app with the headphones. That should give it away. Why do you think they want you to use their app? You can adjust the app settings - presumably what it can and cannot do. It seems what Bose did wrong was not be clear up front as to what the default result of using the app would be. That's not quite as bad as your smart TV spying on you if you connect it to your internet connected LAN.
My wife bought a Wave IV Soundtouch with a 30-day return policy - the only good policy they have and the one we exercised.
Want to set the thing up and use the features you paid for like Internet radio? You have to use the app. The first thing the app requires to even start setup is access to your location. WTF? Then there is their so-called "privacy" policy (which is currently so private that they have broken links on their site so you can't even find it now) that allows them to track your listening (which
This was for the longest time the approach to security. How high is the damage if our customer data gets lost? How much would it cost to secure it? It costs HOW MUCH? Screw security!
Only when laws were passed that made CEOs personally (!) liable (yes, with their private money) if they can't show that they've taken reasonable steps to secure it, suddenly security became an issue.
And we won't see anything being done in favor of privacy unless corporations feel the govenments' boots on their necks.