German commissioner highlights Xbox One privacy concerns
"The Xbox continuously records all sorts of personal information" says Peter Schaar
The technical capabilities of the new Xbox One have upset Germany's federal data protection commissioner Peter Schaar, leading him to call it a "monitoring device" in local press.
"The Xbox continuously records all sorts of personal information about me," Peter Schaar told Spiegel.
"Reaction rates, my learning or emotional states. The are then processed on an external server, and possibly even passed on to third parties. Whether it be deleted ever, the person concerned cannot influence."
Privacy issues around the console are something Microsoft has had to address from early on, but this is the first suggestion that it could face trouble on a political level. The Xbox One's built in Kinect has an always-on listening mode, ready to react to its users command even if it's turned off.
Microsoft's Phil Harrison has recently assured consumers that this won't mean their data is up for grabs.
"Microsoft has very, very good policies around privacy. We're a leader in the world of privacy, I think you'll find," he told Eurogamer.
"We take it very seriously. We aren't using Kinect to snoop on anybody at all. We listen for the word 'Xbox on' and then switch on the machine, but we don't transmit personal data in any way, shape or form that could be personally identifiable to you, unless you explicitly opt into that."
The Xbox One is due for release later this year, and has already faced separate controversies over its online requirements and its approach to second-hand games.
;)
Seriously, though. The consumer is paying MS at every step for all these "benefits"... why should they get free data to potentially monetise?
It also really depends on what you consider "personal" data. If you're talking about reactions to movies and games and whatnot then that doesn't have to be personalised or linked to you... but it's still generated from you.
I'm not the most paranoid of people but I think its pretty obvious why there are particularly high concerns about Xbox One, especially with this advanced always on camera sensing you in your own home.
Assuming there won't be any general functionality issues created, cool. To a great extent, it is down to the consumers to decide whether or not they buy into the new Xbox ecosystem or use Kinect, but consumers don't always have all the information, knowledge and so on when it comes to what data is being collected and how its being used.
The new Xbox will be one of the best monitoring devices ever created, with a powerful camera/sensor and access to all sorts of social network accounts. Rather than hoping hardware/software companies will do a good job, or asking the gamer to ignore half the features they have bought, I think its still important to ask questions - as discussed on how the device will monitor you and what happens to the data.
Odd... There's been so much misinformation regarding this, I'm not entirely sure, but there have been multiple reports of the XOne not working (or working in a very limited capacity) if the Kinect isn't plugged in. Can you point me to the article that states it can be unplugged and still work?
Edit: ( http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2013/05/phil-harrison-xbox-one/2/ )
Edited 2 times. Last edit by Morville O'Driscoll on 28th May 2013 5:13pm
I don't mind Kinect for controlling the odd game when it works well (!), but scanning my living room for what I am wearing and what kinds of products I have nearby and then tailor ads and/or sell that data to other companies isn't something I'd really enjoy.
Let's not forget: since 2010, Microsoft's Kinect TOS has explicitly said: do not expect privacy with this device. With the system always listening for input now, that means not to expect privacy *ever*. It's not hyperbole to call this an Orwellian nightmare.
Granted, MS has basically created a "problem" they seem to want to solve so badly with this new console that as soon as they latched onto that infamous tweet from Carolyn Petit and tried to use it as a "SEE!, SEE! People REALLY NEED this console!" moment, I was hitting myself in the head with one of the broken 360's I still have here.
Thank you :)
Suddenly I'm not laughing at my couple friends who block their phone/laptop cameras with labels or such while they aren't using them and not calling them stupid dystopian conspiranoids anymore...
Maybe I'm just naive, but I don't think MS would do such a(nother) suicidal move... Don't know about the USA, but in Europe we would freak out at the implications indeed.
Second; Why is this an issue now and with Xbox One + Kinect? Why didn't ANYONE react when Samsung, Sony, LG etc etc released TV:s with built in camera + microphone? TV:s that actually run third party apps and has ZERO SECURITY. Why didn't anynone react when laptops started coming with built in microphones + camera? And why ain't this an issue with mobile- and smartphones that actually can, and has been, hacked to listen in on the owner without them knowing? Or with tablets? Or with...
...you get the point.
To me it looks like Peter Schaar is trying to score some easy political points.
But still, Microsoft; please let me unplug the Kinect physically from Xbox One. Please!
Edited 1 times. Last edit by Stefan Pettersson on 29th May 2013 2:23pm
Seriously, I just wanna play games and watch movies. 300,000 servers all managing and processing, collecting data... at least to me, its scary.
Edited 1 times. Last edit by Todd Weidner on 29th May 2013 10:46pm
Of course, if MS were a lot more informative at that announcement less week, we all wouldn't be guessing so much pro or con the new system.
THAT said, I'll bet you a penny that we should indeed expect to see an onscreen "error" message if the camera is disconnected or blocked that goes something like this (save this quote for future reference, I say):
Error # -----
Sorry, your KINECT cannot detect any movement in the room. The camera view has been obstructed or KINECT has been deactivated. Please note that proper usage of the Xbox One requires a KINECT that is connected to the console and has an unobstructed view of an entire room.
Please turn off the Xbox One console, reconnect KINECT/remove the obstruction and power on the console again.
Or something like that...
Edited 1 times. Last edit by Rick Lopez on 30th May 2013 2:35pm