Columnist Warns 'Evil' Xbox One Kinect Camera May Be Used for Spying

A conservative columnist for the Chicago Tribune is warning his readers that the Xbox One will be used as a spy tool for the government. "You don't have to be an expert in The Chicago Way to see the possibilities of this demonic object," columnist John Kass writes. "Knowledge is power. The pursuit of power is the province of ruthless people. Need I say more?"

[Majin-vegeta]

Finally someone who get's it.This crap should be banned,It's basically invading your privacy.

[dedicatedtogamers]

Personally, I don't think it will be "evil" though I do expect Microsoft to AT LEAST use Kinect to listen to words and conversations occuring in the room. After all, Xbox One knows how to recommend thing "that are truly personalized to your tastes" according to the reveal.

But this article could be the start of something massive. Americans (gee, the target market of Xbox One) are already irrationally paranoid of the government, Big Corpo, etc. spying on them. Privacy violation and identify theft are in the news on a weekly basis.

Videogames are already going through a bit of a rough patch in terms of publicity right now. If some sensationalist fringe guy like Alex Jones, or even worse, if Fox News gets a hold of this, you can bet it will be on the nightly news, on a "Consumer Watch" warning, they'll warn you about it during the holidays, etc.

Xbox is a popular brand in America but it works both ways. Xbox One uses Skype. Xbox One's Kinect is "always listening". Microsoft got in trouble last year for spying on Skype conversations and any dime-bit journalist can piece those things together and come up with a headline.

[KrisButtar]

just wanted to add.

The spying bit has already hit a Canadian Radio station, as CBC radio have bashed the Xbox One and the 360 is popular here as well

Edit: I know we are not the states but news from there always comes up here, so there is no reason why news wouldn't travel down there

[Maddens Raiders]

they've even managed to rile up the conspiracy theory community?

WTF have you done MSFT???

#worstrevealever

[Conzul]

IKR? It went from bad to worse to funny to awkward.

[SirBradders]

what about hackers, say for instance all this info gets cached somewhere on the cloud or some server somewhere (which it indefinitely will be) and I've been having sex in front of it and much more etc... then some creep gets it blasts it on the internet.

There is absolutely no other reason other then greed as to why MS have gone with an always on, always observing ad pumping box and that's greed.

Think of the revenue from advertising they have created by having a commercial box.

I'm sorry but anyone who purchases (i don't mean this in a bad way) will be stupid because they will be contributing more and more to greedy corporate pockets.

[Arai]

Potential issues, FBI using the camera to spy on you (like they tried with using laptop camera's).

Hackers using the camera to spy on you, even though both consoles might come with a camera.
One isn't required in order for the console to function, while the other does.

Privacy is a big issue all over the world, so I don't know how this will play out.

[kenshiro100]

...No good can come from this. I smell lawsuits in the future.

[jensen86]

im glad other ppl are finally picking up on this n thats jus one of a hundred other reasons ill be buying a ps4 not shitty xbox 1

[Cam977]

I see it as ridiculous too, it SHOULD be banned. If you want to reduce the chances of being spied on then just play XBOX ONE naked with your dick in clear view of the camera. If MS want to do this then counter it, do things you'd find on Chatroulette on it.

Personally, one does not see why somebody would support a company even being rumoured to do this. Don't buy the XBOX ONE, if successful gaming will change forever and we'll be limited to the ways in which the publishers and manufacturers want us to play.

Don't support the XBOX ONE.
As many people have stated, next gen for me will consist of a yet to be bought WII U and PS4. Microsoft can stay out of my room if they want to do this.

[Martywren]

If you want to reduce the chances of being spied on then just play XBOX ONE naked with your dick in clear view of the camera.LMAO

[Bigpappy]

There is no there! there. There is no one watching you while you play. The software is watching and making adjustments.

[TwistedMetal]

imagine if people who hack xbl can see and hear you through it. i wouldnt trust it.

[Sharius]

don't need to be a genius to know about this fact

[M-M]

It's funny how they say that your privacy is the first thing they consider when it comes to the Kinect 2.0 being on all of the time. If they respected your privacy so much it wouldn't even be on all of the time.

[sherimae2413]

demonic object?! lol ^_^
now, who wants to join the darkside?

[FullmetalAlchemist]

The only good that could come out of this is if the Kinect could detect racist, badmouthed little kids who were playing online and would then automatically self-destruct their system. Then I would be ok with it.

[Sarobi]

I still don't get why it NEEDS to be on for the console to function.

[dedicatedtogamers]

According to Microsoft, it's so that you can turn the system on with just by saying "Xbox On".

[RyuCloudStrife]

So lame

[BitbyDeath]

Not everyone needs that function.
It should be optional with the default turned off.

[mmj]

I always wondered how our governments would advance their police state agenda to the point of cameras in houses without any uproar, enter Xbone. :)

[Narutone66]

I've seen that series in TV, Person of Interest. It's finally free!

[SonyPS4]

Yeah, not going to happen in my house. #dealwithit

Xbox go home.

[CrossingEden]

lol demonic object, i once saw a video of a woman calling dead space 2 demonic and i quote
"This isn't a game, its some demonic....evil...THING.." ;
calm down

[tubers]

I hope the PS4 Eye isn't mandatory (except for device-"appropriate" games).

It isn't right?

[BitbyDeath]

PS4 eye isn't mandatory, their was some earlier concern around the lightbar needing it but that was cleared up by Shuhei Yoshida.

http://www.edge-online.com/...

[febreeze1]

Its not mandatory. It will be sitting in my PS4 box while I play "real games" lol

[hot4play]

Finally someone from mainstream media with a brain!

#xboxgohome

[megaworm25]

I knew it.

My Toasters been laughing at me

and now the xbox is going to spy on me

whats next, the Fridge is going to kill me

got to love the future

[kenshiro100]

Lmao.

[DethWish]

1984

[first1NFANTRY]

So let me get this straight. I'm paying a large amount of sum to get spied on? No Thanks.

Xbox One: You pay for your own demise

[talisker]

Expecting "terrorist caught thanks to Microsoft technology" articles to pop up in mainstream press.

Isn't encrypting data already illegal in the US?

[Father__Merrin]

this certainly is an Illuminati's console

[ZILLA]

Its just like the AP scandal thats happening with the govt right now!bill gates is in bed with obama and they will use the kinect against you if they want to, cause the xbox one is ALWAYS on,even if offf its still on standby which they can look into your home at any given time.this my friend is criminal and need to be investigated by the F.B.I.and to make it more true,microsoft just got busted spying on Skype customers...scary stuff!

[supremacy]

From what i hear they were already doing this with skype, and we all know skype can be found in just about any device with a camera. In all honesty this is some scary shit. This all sounds like that old jim carrey movie, the one where they filmed his life in, forgot what its call but yeah you get the picture.

[DaGR8JIBRALTAR]

yep.... but wait, isn't the F.B.I part of the govt.if bill gates is in bed with the govt, the fbi will turn the other cheek on this.

[hazelamy]

ms say they respect our privacy, i say they're full of shit.

look at windows genuine advantage.

it fulfilled most of ms own criteria for a virus, yet they were the ones forcing it on people.

it's sent back information about the users without their knowledge.

so if you think ms would never spy on us, think again.

[m2stech]

All your privacy are belong to us!

[nohopeinc]

Conspiracy aside just do not understand why it has to have a camera and mic to operate. I think there is a large number of people that don't want to turn it on by "talking" to it. Doesn't that also indicate that it is always drawing power? I don't want that, nobody does it is a waste. It literally is unnecessary to have such features on a system that will likely have a remote as well. The controller will be in my hand every time I sit down to play, guarantee it. Also very confused as to why they include a piece of hardware that is mandatory that will surely increase the cost of the console. Another big reason why I don't want it. I want to play games, not casual dancing or singing games, real in there games something that is intense enough to where it cannot be controlled by simple movement and speaking gimmicks. If I was going to buy an XBOX i would be paying for something that is literally not that important. This whole cliche is going to die. There is not enough people that are interested in movement controlled games, its a gimmick, use it a couple times than meh whatever.

[Wikkid666]

LOL! I guess this missed the design panel after the reveal. Panel clearly stated that the camera can me disabled. Jokingly they said it will save people from having to cover the camera lens.

[Supermax]

Whoops the ps4 has a camera as well oh no,whoops my laptop has one too oh crap my iPad I'm typing on now has one and my phone what the hell my dam tv has one what am I to do.

[Bhuahahaha]

because you have a option when to turn it off or leave in on

xbox 1 does have hat feature will stay on unless you plug it out

[Bhuahahaha]

depending on sales of xbox juan when it hit store
band aid sales might go up

[Plagasx]

Cool, if M$ wants to watch me masturbate, that's fine with me.

[mydyingparadiselost]

This makes me think of thr recent AP spying reports that have come out. If the government or even M$ wants to know what your doing this just gives them another invasive way to go about it. With the direction customer tech is going in the 1984 scenario is looking WAY more plausible than ever.

[travelguy2k]

I wonder if having 3 different OS's will give hackers 3 opportunities to hack it. I mean with added complexity comes more opportunity for hackers.