I leave it charging in the hallway (under a pillow)

Mine is in the west wing

And I just do not allow any app anything it wants, simple

My six-year-old was 'talking' with our Amazon Echo tonight:

Echo, sing a song.
Echo, sing a Christmas song?
Echo, are you fat?
Echo, are you stupid?
Echo, are you ticklish?
Echo, you are bad.
Echo, Do you love you?
Echo, where is Guatemala?

I don't think I need to be too concerned with governments listening in.

Does a Nokia windows phone count?

They are all a disease, a psychological disability, The Borg taking over your lives and your wallet. All resistance is helpful in regaining your life.

Of course it's not entirely bad. But technically you are putting a listening device into your home, one that records your daily activities, browsing data, Shopping history, music tastes, the radio and news programmes you listen to. Of course we are already part of this collected data, by the very fact we connect to an online world. My point is that the Echo and similar devices are gathering data even when we don't really want them to be doing so and yes they are an open link into our private lives. It is Big Brother in a way, at the moment it might be just a commercial enterprise from Amazon, but this technology has far greater implications for our privacy then some people seem to realize.

If I wanted privacy, I wouldn't have moved to a small Swiss village.

Not trying to flame any battles, just trying to understand:
What are you exactly concerned about, with others (companies) having access to your private data?
How do you think they would exploit it?
Which greater implications are some people missing to realize?

E.g. what's Amazon's use of them maybe recording me having an argument (or bedroom activity) with someone?

They keep fighting, it seems. (German)

Which is exactly what they want you to do.

Well, it is very surprising that in a country like Switzerland such a law got through - as normally we are very strict about privacy.
Still, I guess it depends how much one actually uses all the available stuff. My GPS is usually turned off - in fact my handy often stays at home when I pop out of the house - I use hardly any apps and, unlike many friends of mine, my google results still seem quite general. As I google indiscriminately they probably haven't sussed me out yet and can't really profile me. LOL. Once they can I shall be interested as I'm still on my self-discovery-path.
I might have to check my flat and my car for bugs on regular basis now? My friends don't have all these Echo and dog knows what devices either (yet), my shutters are automatic yet with an old fashioned remote of their own (I have to press the button, how exhausting) and everybody tells me I'm too bloody straight forward anyway so I guess I already have no secrets.

Still, I'm glad some people are still fighting (although I kind of doubt they will succeed) and in the end each of us has to decide how far we want to go - or how old fashioned we want to stay.
And the cheaper the offers - the more "they" will get out of us re private information. After all, the rule of "give and take" stays valid. So all these people who think all this free stuff is normal today and cheap and cheaper is just the way things go, well .....


LOL, yeah. Swiss country-society is still far ahead. Google could learn from it. Still, unless they start talking about you on the phone or tell your stories to friends via email "what's uttered in Glarus stays in Glarus", which is the difference.

Back to Echo: The new "hello" when visiting someone I guess will be "do you have Echo?"

Did you know that this Forum has been installed on your computer by people from small Swiss villages with the intention of keeping tabs on Auslander opinion and activity?

The Post will abolish the CHF13.- customs inspection charge from 01.01.2018.

Watch this short video of a BBC journalist in China who was 'captured' within seven minutes of being labelled a suspect.

It's not just you anymore, it's everyone in your family, all of your contacts, your neighbours, your colleagues, where you go and what you spend your money on. It's terrifying. I'm sure Amazon won't 'care' but your data is valuable to someone and you're no longer in control of who gets to purchase it. "We will only extract the data when the people need our help" said the friendly Middle Kingdom police officer... "Citizens don't need to worry".

I'm happy for the appearance of the Apple Watch series 3 (but only with the Hermes version, so will have to wait financially) because I can relay my next stroke this year to the relevant emergency services at the push of a button, as well as my nearest and dearest, even while under the shower (waterproof). Not sure I'd want that but still.

Priorities are sometimes hard...

But what truly aggravates, is the limited selection of e-books. Somehow Amazon.de sees the best books as having one with a man with a six-pack on the front-cover + Harry Potter

Same here.
They used to have a button "I want to read this as e-book" or similar and I clicked it every time.
But then that button was suddenly not there anymore

So terrifying that you've stopped using the internet completely and live totally off-grid?

Or not, apparently.

I still don't see a problem. Google is desperately trying and failing to find things that I'm interested in. It's mildly irritating to be served stories from the Norwich Evening News, but I've never bought anything I've been advertised yet. Amazon tries to sell me books and CDs, but I've not bought any luxury items since I was given my notice, so they've got no hope. That leaves Youtube, which at least gets my taste in videos right, but still has no chance with the adverts. As if someone like me is remotely interested in flying with Etihad airlines!

And governments? If the Swiss government was really concerned about my activity, they'd just ask the neighbours or my former colleagues. You know, like the Stasi used to. No need for fancy technology when everyone I've ever met has got ears and a gob.

So sure, if you all want to go off-grid to escape the clutches of Big Brother, go ahead. Except he'll still find you anyway.

Meanwhile, I'll be enjoying all the benefits of hands-free controls with absolutely no drawbacks whatsoever.

Er, you do need a Kindle or Tolino (if you're that German way inclined).
Which recommendations you receive may be base on how you're other way inclined

I've already played my hand by signing the UK official secrets act, many moons ago but valid in perpetuity. Apathy reigns.

Were I to be a human rights lawyer / journalist / trades unionist in <insert country of choice> it may be another response to "If you've done nothing wrong you've nothing to fear"...

Is this option also available to non-valley inhabitants

No you don't. I read amazon e-books on my Sony. There's ways ....

Ah! I had forgotten "valid in perpetuity"