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Comment by salawat

4 years ago

This is one of those things that shouldn't even have a standard made for it.

What does everyone think is going to happen with capabilities like that?

14 comments

salawat

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transpute  4 years ago

Good news, the paper mentions privacy.

> We identify a number of critical issues that need to be addressed in this space... First, individuals should be provided the opportunity to opt out of SENS services – in other words, to avoid being monitored and tracked by the Wi-Fi devices around them.

Bad news, the paper proposes remote human identification by every Wi-Fi device.

> This would require the widespread introduction of reliable SENS algorithm for human or animal identification.

Would opt-in be legally easier than requiring human body scan registration for opt-out of Wi-Fi remote sensing?

  • salawat  4 years ago

    This is a poison pill.

    In order to not be tracked you must consent to be tracked so we know you don't want to be tracked.

    This should not be done or allowed. Period. It's a huge invasion of privacy.

  • brobdingnagians  4 years ago

    It would be better to have a beacon that simply broadcasts that you do not want to be tracked, with no further identifying features. There isn't really a good reason for identifying you to then look up that you don't want to be tracked. Make that legally binding and enforce it.

    Or, better yet, make it totally opt in.

    • _rkz1  4 years ago

      How would opt-in work in practice? Say, if this gets pushed out on $CAFE public wifi for analytics. Would it be something akin to "tick this consent box to use the wifi"?

      And if $CAFE tracks you regardless of you not ticking the box or connecting to the network, how do I detect that as a regular customer?

quickthrowman  4 years ago

Yeah, this tech standard is totally insane, why would I want anyone or anything to be able to scan people and objects inside my house without my knowledge? I’m aware of microphone attacks for keyboard password entry and other methods of surreptitious surveillance, but this is way past a microphone or webcam. I will pay a massive premium to purchase WiFi equipment without this feature.

Unfortunately these will be everywhere, far beyond any existing camera surveillance network.

hooande  4 years ago

Can make a lot of interesting products. Lights that turn on or change color when different people enter a room. home security systems that can detect motion. the ability to summon help for people who fall.

I've been looking into this for a while, should be mature enough in a year or so. there are already dozens of companies in this space

idiotsecant  4 years ago

Do you think making it a standard is required to use it? The technology exists now. Writing it down isn't breathing it into existence.