Yesterday, news broke that Google has been stealth downloading audio listeners onto every computer that runs Chrome, and transmits audio data back to Google. Effectively, this means that Google had taken itself the right to listen to every conversation in every room that runs Chrome somewhere, without any kind of consent from the people eavesdropped on. In official statements, Google shrugged off the practice with what amounts to "we can do that".

http://www.osnews.com/story/28643/Chrom ... of_privacy

After upgrading chromium to 43, I noticed that when it is running and
immediately after the machine is on-line it silently starts downloading
"Chrome Hotword Shared Module" extension, which contains a binary without
source code. There seems no opt-out config.

https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugrepo ... bug=786909

And people ridicule me for duct taping my built in camera and disabling both microphone and camera on BIOS level and getting rid of required drivers. In your face, haters!

BOFH,

I’m a relative Luddite. I also duct tape my camera and microphone although I haven’t gone into the BIOS to disable them.

I am using chrome right now and find this troubling. I always have the latest version of tails but find that I rarely need to use it.

What would be a viable solution to this? Uninstall Chrome and use Aviator, Hybrid or some more secure browser?

Thanks for this.

Apparently this "feature" is introduced in Chromium 43. Unless it patches security vulnerabilities (check the changelog) I would personally downgrade to 42. I don't use Chrome though, my best advice would be to go with Mozilla. They're a lot more sane in the head than Google, apparently.

BOFH wrote:Apparently this "feature" is introduced in Chromium 43. Unless it patches security vulnerabilities (check the changelog) I would personally downgrade to 42. I don't use Chrome though, my best advice would be to go with Mozilla. They're a lot more sane in the head than Google, apparently.

Thank you!

There's something happening here
What it is ain't exactly clear
There's a man with a gun over there
Telling me I got to beware

I think it's time we stop, children, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

There's battle lines being drawn
Nobody's right if everybody's wrong
Young people speaking their minds
Getting so much resistance from behind

I think it's time we stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

What a field-day for the heat
A thousand people in the street
Singing songs and carrying signs
Mostly say, hooray for our side

It's time we stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep
It starts when you're always afraid
You step out of line, the man come and take you away

We better stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, now, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, children, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

[quote="phuketrichard"]There's something happening here
What it is ain't exactly clear
There's a man with a gun over there
Telling me I got to beware

I think it's time we stop, children, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

There's battle lines being drawn
Nobody's right if everybody's wrong
Young people speaking their minds
Getting so much resistance from behind

I think it's time we stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

What a field-day for the heat
A thousand people in the street
Singing songs and carrying signs
Mostly say, hooray for our side

It's time we stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep
It starts when you're always afraid
You step out of line, the man come and take you away

We better stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, now, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, children, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

Heheheheheh...although this may be directed at me, I find this very funny.
However, I insist on keeping the tape on; it's a matter of principle....or paranoia.....or principle.

Therapist wrote:BOFH,

I’m a relative Luddite. I also duct tape my camera and microphone although I haven’t gone into the BIOS to disable them.

You forgot the mode where the screen can be used as a camera.

Nice bf, btw! (but I prefer not to use rear-view mirrors)

vladimir wrote:

Therapist wrote:BOFH,

I’m a relative Luddite. I also duct tape my camera and microphone although I haven’t gone into the BIOS to disable them.

You forgot the mode where the screen can be used as a camera.

Nice gf, btw! (but I prefer not to use rear-view mirrors)

Sir Vladimir,

Thank you for noticing...especially since my girlfriend is Imaginary and Ethiopian.

Dude, no need to edit my post, be proud of your lifestyle..

(Not that there's anything wrong with that)