780°

Kinect Is Spying on You

A reader at Lazygamer has actually read the new terms and conditions for the Xbox 360.. and it's pretty scary

"Do you ever read the terms of service agreements that come with software, hardware and firmware updates? I know I don’t. I’m all too happy to scroll on to the end and click “yes.” One astute reader, liberty, took the time to read through the updated Xbox Live terms of service included with yesterday’s Xbox system update – and uncovered some pretty scary stuff.

Remember how we, via Microsoft’s Phil Spencer, assured you that Kinect wasn’t spying on you? It seems that might not be entirely factual; According to the terms of service, they can – and will use Kinect to monitor players."

Read Full Story >>
lazygamer.net
granthinds5348d ago

Man, how on earth can people think this is real?! FIRSTLY, it'll take up valuable processing power from the console and SECONDLY waste band width! And if you'er capped, you'll be SO aware that you're PAYING for it!!!

Ognipode5348d ago

You obviously don't know Microsoft, I don't put anything past companies like them and Apple these days

granthinds5348d ago

What?! They can't AFFORD to jeopardize their PR with such a ridiculous stunt!

nix5348d ago (Edited 5348d ago )

i always unplug the PS3 camera.. you know just in case... i find that blue light very scary. lol. q:

@zootang: lol... i was about to do some 'activity' and then suddenly realized the camera 'looking' at me... since then i've been unplugging it. q:

EDIT 2: i wonder who disagreed with me... you can ask Sony, i swear.

John-1175348d ago

Why would MS spy on what ever I am doing wtf? lmao

KratosGIRL5348d ago (Edited 5348d ago )

LMFAO bunch of sissys

Web cam sex is the future !!

iMaddy5348d ago

Any goverment can "hear" every users cell phone talking by law desision..

xbox live is the same...stardart term of servise...goverment is all above any company.

all this news is just anti MS pr company...people don't like when MS have success.

Nitrowolf25348d ago (Edited 5348d ago )

HOLY F I DO THE SAME

I mean i am eating in my room, or playing a game that doesn't use the cam and i see it on and i'm like "Maybe they are watching me" idk who "They" are but still. lol

anything with a camera, even my computer i usually block them just in case

lol

Theonik5348d ago

@Nix, i do too. That blue light scares the sh*t out of me.

nveenio5348d ago

This basically says that they can use illegal activity against you. For instance, if you're flashing testicles to underage boys--they'll use it against you. If you're harassing the one girl on your friends list--they'll use it against you. If the courts subpoena their records of your chats because you're using Kinect chat to organize a terrorist plot--they'll comply.

They're basically just letting you know that they aren't going to fight for your privacy if under legal pressure to let it all hang out.

edgeofblade5348d ago (Edited 5348d ago )

Wait a second... this is par for the course already. MS can already monitor your voice communication with a headset, and with the update, the kinect mics can replace the headset...

@inveni0: Since you put it that way, they could have been under pressure from Homeland Security do include this for their purposes.

nveenio5348d ago

I agree. And it's perfectly legal because you're agreeing to it. It's the next best thing to wiretapping!

nycredude5348d ago

Invinio

What if I like to game naked or in my boxer shorts? Can I get in trouble for being naked in my own home?

DMason5348d ago

All companies have to comply with this law. If MS is contacted by the government/police, the police have the right to monitor you.

It's not like Kinect is recording you at all times. Now if you're a child molester soliciting children on XBLA, then you have something to worry about.

MONOLITHICIDE5348d ago

John-117 + 8h ago "Why would MS spy on what ever I am doing wtf? lmao"

-And this is exactly what Big Brother wants you to think like, so they can sneak these kinds of things into our homes. They already have vans that drive down neighborhood streets that can xray into your home, and they say its to find terrorists. Now thats funny any excuse to take away our freedom and usher in their world dictatorship.

I guess you tell yourself anything to help you sleep at night kid, huh?

AAACE55348d ago

LMAO>>>You gotta include Sony into that as well since the Eyetoy is a camera. And keep in mind, the Japanese are well known freaks who like to spy... especially on little girls! They even buy used underwear from a vending machine!

I always thought it was suspect to have a camera plugged in that can be monitored at anytime. But it's just like our cellphones, we could be getting spied on at anytime. For those who don't know, as long as you have the battery in your phone, the government can listen in on you at anytime. I keep my sh*tty blackberry in it's sleeve for that reason to block the microphone.

Always disconnect the camera when not in use, or at least turn the camera away.

PopEmUp5347d ago

webcam sex is the future hahahaa

+ Show (14) more repliesLast reply 5347d ago
DirtyLary5348d ago (Edited 5348d ago )

black orifice 2010 console version.

Dr-ZOOM5348d ago

BOOOO!!!

You see what I did there?

Darkfocus5347d ago

whats black orifice?? never mind I probably don't wanna know...

Raf1k15348d ago

If that's what the terms actually state and you agree to it then they can legally go ahead with it.

gamingdroid5348d ago (Edited 5348d ago )

Everything in the ToS is vanilla, meaning you can go read Sony's and it will contain the exact same things in different words.

The only difference maybe is this:

“You should not expect any level of privacy concerning your use of the live communication features (for example, voice chat, video and communications in live-hosted gameplay sessions) offered through the Service.”

They are specifically referring to "live-hosted gameplay sessions". I think that is fair, as you are already in a public game match.

With that said, if there is one company that "seems" to respect your privacy it is MS. If you look through their history and their policies compared to let say Google or Sony with their root kit that actually made your computer vulnerable to breaches!

Either way, I wouldn't walk around naked in front of Kinect!

Anon19745348d ago

Microsoft needs to be able to police their services. Some might not like this, but it just makes sense. Of course they need the ability to keep an eye on what users are doing on their network. Sony's no different.

Scotland-The-Brave5348d ago

O look, gamingdroid turns this article about Microsoft into something bad about sony. Surprise surprise!

gamingdroid5348d ago

I talk about Google as well, but somehow you only cared about Sony!

It's kind of hard to compare the console makers when there are only three and one of them practically don't have an online presence.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 5348d ago
AuToFiRE5348d ago

"cant afford it" we all know microsoft and apple are crooks, yet we continue to use their products, M$ has you by the left nut, Apple by the right, it doesnt matter what they do, all it will end up is in a fine of a couple million dollars, chump change to massive corporations like them, they will simply make back that money in a matter of hours

DelbertGrady5348d ago

I stopped buying Sony products after the rootkit scandal. /s

edgeofblade5348d ago

@DelbertGrady: And I started avoiding Sony movies after the David Manning incident.

JokesOnYou5348d ago

It's standard legal terms for just about anything that deals with "video capture" online.

-I don't know if some of you know this but yesterday when I did the 360 fall update there was settings for kinect allowing you to opt out and assign limits on what you want others to see when online, you can either set it so that everyone can see you, just friends or block everyone.

-I guess he wouldn't understand alot of products have similiar legal warnings since he admits like most of us we never read the TOS agreements, you want to read some really scary stuff try reading the TOS agreement when you get a new cell phone. lmfao, "The government is listening"

INehalemEXI5348d ago (Edited 5348d ago )

this reminds me of the ECHELON system http://whatreallyhappened.c...

to intercept all data.

It's illegal for the United States to spy on it's citizens. Likewise the same for Great Britain. But under the terms of the UKUSA agreement, Britain spies on Americans and America spies on British citizens and the two groups trade data.

FragMnTagM5348d ago

It is NOT illegal anymore for the United States to spy on it's citizens. If you are scared about the TOS for the new update, then you should stop using cell phones, chat rooms, well the internet altogether for that matter, especially Facebook.

Not too much anyone can do about it, except you know, take over the government.

INehalemEXI5348d ago (Edited 5348d ago )

There are legal limitations in the PA this is an intercept of all data and they answer to no one.

All I said is.... it reminds me of this system. I don't give a damn if the governments spying on meh if they want to watch me drop a duece more power to em.

Killed4Less5348d ago

FragMnTagM just be quiet.. You are talking out your ass about the Patriot Act. There is absolutely wiretapping and monitor laws in place. If MS was to turn even 1 camera on and view into a person's living room they are breaking federal law here in the USA period.

A school district just recently gave laptops to students and one of the camera's was activated to spy on a student. They are in serious financial and legal troubles now.

This camera is no different then the millions of web cams and cell phone cameras in the world. MS cannot and will not actively spy on you in your home because the legal ramifications would be enormous.

Ragz0175348d ago

aliens can monitor the human race this way easily.. :)

WharenPeace5348d ago

Since I generally game in my underwear, I always unplug the PS Eye. The same would hold true for if I owned Kinect.

frostypants5348d ago (Edited 5348d ago )

Nothing to see here, folks. Move along.

Everything you do on the internet can be tracked. It's not just Kinect.

And it's not like they have some giant TV room like in Matrix Reloaded where Bill Gates is sitting back and watching every move of every gamer. Though the thought of that is amusing.

EDIT: I guarantee you that you agreed to similar TOS with your ISP

baker_boi5347d ago

For the same reason phone companies tape your phones and record your conversations in a database.

That was unfortunately legalized through the patriot act.

Stop being dumb kids. This is America. They've been spying and tapping people's lines since the 1920's.

It doesn't take much to do this, there are loads of tutorials how to high jack cameras, and secure lines all over youtube.

+ Show (8) more repliesLast reply 5347d ago
1233605348d ago (Edited 5348d ago )

its there to keep an eye out for the perverts i suspect,there will be alot of kids using this so they may wan,t to check out any conversations if they get a complaint.sad but the 360 has had a lot of bad press over this issue so a bit of extra saftey is not a bad thing

Domer255348d ago

Now that makes sense. Forgot about the pervs.

Qui-Gon Jim5348d ago

The wording is just there to give them the right to use your communications if they need to. For example, if you are accused of exposing yourself to children via video chat, then Microsoft can call up your video chats and hand them over to police.

I can pretty much guarantee that PSN service agreements say the same thing.

TrevorPhillips5348d ago

Illuminati - the all seeing eye

tacosRcool5348d ago

And Governor Ventura is also!

Nihilism5348d ago (Edited 5348d ago )

lol, careful dude, I think the Zionists are great in number on these forums, you will note by the prominent brand loyalty and monopolistic sympathizing that their mindset is at the very least pervasive. We won't see it's effect until the end game...

P.S Gaza is Palestinian land :D, I look forward to the day when war crime sanctions are rightfully issued against Israel.

killzowner5348d ago

literally the nerdiest thing said on n4g - a gaming website. You should win something for that Nihilism

Dnied5348d ago

I was going through the settings in the new update last night and noticed there was an option in the security settings where you could enable/disable MS monitoring the voice conversations. The tooltip stated that they wanted to monitor so they can get ideas for voice commands and updates etc haha

It was something like that anyway... makes you wonder though.

Blaze9295348d ago (Edited 5348d ago )

that's normal with any voice programs/hardware though. They need to collect the tone, pronunciation, and communications of every possible person they can get so that in the end, the program/device picks up many different kinds of dialect a lot better. Might have people who talk very country or with accents, that's what it's for.

common sense don't you think? They don't really want to hear about what you did last night - but 'how' you're talking so that Kinect can pick up more voices/people.

SolidSystem5348d ago

they want to make sure I dont talk down to Milo or try anything funny with him.

Show all comments (115)
370°

Microsoft planning “major” Xbox layoffs next week

The cuts are expected to be announced next week.

Microsoft is also planning thousands of job cuts that will impact other parts of it businesses

Read Full Story >>
theverge.com
2h agoReplies(1)
2h agoReplies(1)
Obscure_Observer1h ago

MFs has been beating their chests over great quarterly results and big profits to shareholders while firing people by the thousands just like Sony.

I wonder if at the top of those rumored layoffs they´ll also cancel upcoming or unannounced games while shutting down more studios as well.

1h ago
pwnmaster30001h ago

Always got to throw shade at Sony smh.
Yes we get it,
MS good Sony bad
MS bad Sony is also bad lmao

1h ago
Obscure_Observer1h ago

F* them both!

Just for the record, I don´t care about your victim complex crap either. Find someone else who cares.

blacktiger23m ago

He was talking about both. Why you getting offended when he's using both names

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 23m ago
Tacoboto1h ago

"just like Sony"

Gosh you're insufferable, not everything needs to be both-sides'd. Sony's had layoffs, but nothing like what Microsoft has been doing and is continuing to do.

CrimsonWing691h ago(Edited 1h ago)

I mean, no offense, but this is why you’re not some corporate business person running a major corporation. Big profits don’t mean jobs are safe. Do you understand why things like this happen:

Cutting jobs to maintain or increase profitability, especially in underperforming divisions like parts of Xbox like other gaming divisions.

Corporate restructuring and relocating resources for strategic stability in ever changing markets and consumer behaviors.

Investor expectations and optimizing operations to maintain investor confidence. Whatever boosts stock prices and improves future margins.

And there’s many other factors at play. It’s never as simple as business doing well, everyone’s safe. That’s just you not understanding at all how corporations work and have been working since the beginning. This isn’t something that’s specific to Xbox, you can bet your ass Sony and Nintendo do this and if it’s not clear by now, game development is not a stable job nor has it ever been for many. A lot of developers are contractors and guess what happens when a project is done?

-Foxtrot36m ago

It's like banging your head off a wall, he just can't help himself.

Microsoft can do no wrong, Sony sucks at everything and Nintendo is bigged up because it's less hassle than trying to defend Microsoft all the time

What's going to happen when Microsoft finally turn completely third party, then what?

anast22m ago

I enjoy Obscure. Obscure does good work.

crazyCoconuts14m ago

Did you know that the first n4g was designed to be a perfect human world? Where none suffered, where everyone would be happy. It was a disaster. No one would accept the program.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 14m ago
1h ago
Show all comments (40)
260°

AMD CEO Shares Vision Behind Xbox Partnership and Next-Gen Chip Roadmap

AMD CEO Lisa Su talks about the Xbox AMD partnership, next-gen Ryzen + Radeon chips, and AI rendering tech coming to all Xbox devices.

Read Full Story >>
clouddosage.com
Obscure_Observer4d ago

AMD is really building hype around their unique partnership with Microsoft to help and build an advanced and seamless Xbox ecosystem across all Xbox consoles and devices.

I wonder what she meant by "full roadmap of gaming optimized chips" though? Seems ambitious.

Next year´s Xbox Showcase already looks promising and exciting. Here´s hoping they deliver.

InUrFoxHole4d ago

They had best show 3yrs in a row. Heading for another

VenomUK4d ago

Obscure_Observer said “I wonder what she meant by "full roadmap of gaming optimised chips" though? Seems ambitious.” To me, I interpret this to mean rather than having a couple of X/S products for launch and a handheld there is a longer term plan to release new products with higher specs at timed intervals. I’m speculating of course, but this could mean a spec bump every year or two, so that even if the PS6 or Steam Deck Home is released a year after ‘Xbox’ Microsoft can release an updated model that has a higher spec.

Agent753d ago

But Microsoft forgot the games.

KwietStorm_BLM4d ago

It's X3D chips for console. Everyone knows this. And it's been rumored in the PS6 forever.

Ganif4d ago

Correct.

"Sony's PlayStation 6 reportedly will feature an AMD semi-custom APU with a Zen 5 CPU and UDNA GPU, capable of 4K 120FPS and 8K 60FPS gaming. The console will include X3D cache and advanced AI upscaling technology."

https://www.tweaktown.com/n...

Obscure_Observer3d ago

"It's X3D chips for console. Everyone knows this. And it's been rumored in the PS6 forever."

I doubt that AMD´s CEO would waste her time making this huge and important partnership announcement over a tech that will be 7 years old by the those next gen consoles will be released.

Notellin3d ago

You should have just lead this comment with the fact that you have zero understanding of technology in the consoles and instead have a Toms Hardware online forum level of education.

Obscure_Observer1d 1h ago

"It's X3D chips for console. Everyone knows this. And it's been rumored in the PS6 forever"

I´d told you were on some bs

https://www.pcgamesn.com/wp...

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 1d 1h ago
Agent753d ago

But Microsoft forgot the games

Obscure_Observer3d ago

@VenomUK

"I’m speculating of course, but this could mean a spec bump every year or two, so that even if the PS6 or Steam Deck Home is released a year after ‘Xbox’ Microsoft can release an updated model that has a higher spec."

Very interesting theory. Still not sure how MS would actually make it work.

KwietStorm_BLM3d ago

"I doubt that AMD´s CEO would waste her time making this huge and important partnership announcement over a tech that will be 7 years old by the those next gen consoles will be released."

How old is the tech in consoles? It's not a huge announcement. It's marketing and you know it is.

Obscure_Observer2d ago (Edited 2d ago )

"How old is the tech in consoles? It's not a huge announcement. It's marketing and you know it is."

Dude, what I know for certain is that a tech as old as X3D chips which is actually *older* than both PS5 and Xbox Series consoles, is hardly the reason behind this new partnership between AMD and MS to build new *custom silicon* for next generation of consoles.

And yes it´s a huge announcement since AMD is working closely with MS to co-develop custom SoC which will allow backwards compatibility across all MS´s next gen devices allowing seamless integration between devices and full backwards compatibility across all generations of Xbox consoles.

I also know is that this announcement don´t have anything to do with Playstation and their strategy with AMD for the PS6, so stop comparing the two pretending that you know what´s going on, because you clearly don´t.

If Sony is working on something remotely similar, that´s remain to be seen.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 1d 1h ago
Fishy Fingers4d ago (Edited 4d ago )

Some odd, deliberate wording, no branding, not 'Xbox consoles, Xbox handhelds' specifically, feels and sounds like they're building towards hardware that anyone can be used or licensed to/by themselves and other manufacturers.

Multiplatform software and hardware 'Xbox/AMD APU'.

Obscure_Observer4d ago

I guess you missed Sarah Bond´s next generation Xbox announcement this week, were she clearly states:

"I´m thrilled to share that we´ve established a strategic multi-year partnership with AMD to co-engineer silicon across a portfolio of devices, including, *our* next generation *Xbox consoles*."

But hey, I don´t think you´re entirely wrong, maybe MS will build their own Xbox consoles while licencing other manufactures to build and sell their own Xbox branded consoles. Who knows

BeHunted4d ago (Edited 4d ago )

I think you watched the wrong video. It's below the description, or you can watch it directly on YouTube.

https://youtu.be/kprpRvsOua...

HyperMoused4d ago

Shares vision....we provide chips for money, this deal will sell many chips, we will make lots of money...good vision

Christopher4d ago

The marketing behind this is so heavy that I worry about the actual outcome. Why are they just not showing us the product, why all this talking in market speak?

Lightning774d ago

Probably because the next xbox isn't ready to release yet?

The marketing and rumors seem to be heavy out of no where. The rumor was a 27 release but it maybe it could be 26 new console launch instead.

Who knows.

Eonjay4d ago

There PR is alrways super heavy handed. No one is acutally buying an Xbox as is.
Also it is very early to be talking so much about a next gen console.

Obscure_Observer3d ago

There´s a lot of people interested on Xbox Next and its ability to run games from major stores like Steam.

We know that the PS6 is just around the corner as well, but so far, no news on what it might improve over the PS5 or PS5 Pro.

However, Sony already made public that their priority and actual focus is the PS6. So its not "very early" to talk about next gen when the very console manufactures are talking about it.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 3d ago
Show all comments (40)
210°

Activision Forces Adverts into Call of Duty Black Ops 6 and Warzone Loadouts

With the launch of Call of Duty Season 4, Activision quietly put adverts inside loadouts for Black Ops 6 and Warzone, sparking a backlash in the process.

23d ago
23d ago
lukasmain23d ago

Putting Ads in a pay-to-play Premium title? Well done Microsoft. Well done /s This is really scummy.

jjb198123d ago

This game will never change because these sweatlords love buying up all the skins and bundles that become obsolete the following year. They're the ones perpetuating Activision's greed.

VenomUK22d ago

If Microsoft introduces adverts into its other games I hope it can do them without disrupting the immersion of the game world. So for example in the new Fable game it would look out of place if there was a billboard advertising Cadillacs.

A far better way to do it would be to have a wizard conjure a 'dream cloud' in front of your character and then in the cloud you can see the Cadillac car and see the text with price and availability and hear a booming sales voice promoting the car. That would work so well as it wouldn't be a billboard and completely, 100%, fit in with your character's adventuring in Albion. Doesn't that sound so much better?!

crazyCoconuts22d ago

@venom, or how about our of 100 farts in Albion, 1 of them has a Cadillac pop out

VenomUK22d ago

@crazyCoconuts That’s undeniably off-beat - but it could really work!

23d ago
Show all comments (19)