Smart speakers being tested in Disney rooms

[DLgal]

Everyone thinks that, but there is a reason companies spend hundreds of billions on marketing every year and it isn't because it doesn't work. Google is one of the most valuable companies in the world and they give away their products, which shows you just how valuable their profile about individuals is.

If a company offers a good product, I buy/use it. I couldn't care less what kind of "profile" they build on me. Sorry, but I don't allow advertising to manipulate me, except when I see an ad for a sale on something I was going to buy anyway...then I will buy it earlier than I need to, or buy more to take advantage of a good price. I don't fall for fake "sales" like many department stores do. It pays to be an informed consumer.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I don't have one, but a friend of mine got an Alexa for Christmas, and it's growing on me quickly! I think it would be fun to have a Disney version on vacation.

 

[TikiBabe]

There's a WDW info channel on the tv in your resort room, that's good enough for me.

 

[Douglas Dubh]

They only listen for the wake word and they do not transmit anything back to the server or anywhere else until they hear it.

That's what Skynet wants you to believe.

 

[danielocha30]

Disney tracks their Magic Bands, check rooms daily and now this!... Why not skip all together and just give me my own cast member. I will pay for his food if he help with my kids while he track me.

 

[PolyRob]

...give me my own cast member. I will pay for his food if he help with my kids while he track me.

VIP Tour Guide!

 

[Tink1987]

The Wynn in Las Vegas had just started trialling Alexa when I was there in December. We loved using it. It controlled the lights, the drapes and played Christmas music when we asked it too - other local radio stations were available too

I’m staying at Yacht Club in December so I’m hoping this is still being tested or rolled out. Will be cool to wake up and ask what ADR’s and FP’s I have booked for the day.

 

[Nancyg56]

I am not sure how I feel about this. Not that it is in the room, because if I really do not want that thing there I can unplug it. No, I tried to talk to Alexa at my friends house and that was an epic fail! LOL!!!

Seriously, I am on the fence about smart devices being placed in rooms. I have also had stories shared with me how nothing was on in the house, and no one was on the phone and yet FB was suddenly showing ads for a product that was being discussed a bit earlier. As much as I am okay with a Magic Band tracking my footsteps all over the MK, and as boring as I am even when I vacation, I Am not at all sure I want one of these things sharing my room with me.

 

[jo-jo]

I am not sure how I feel about this. Not that it is in the room, because if I really do not want that thing there I can unplug it. No, I tried to talk to Alexa at my friends house and that was an epic fail! LOL!!!

We were given one two years ago. It sits in the living room. We mostly live in the family room/kitchen. Alexia play Beethoven seventh....playing Beethoven fifth from amazon prime......Stop....play Beethoven seventh.....playing Beethoven ninth from amazon prime........ I find it easier to add the music on my tablet and then "cast" it to alexia.

My DD in her house uses it for everything, music, timers, those drop ins with the kids bedrooms (that replaces yelling up the steps), weather , school schedule.

 

[PerfessorZ]

I’m cracking up that people are paranoid about somebody listening to them in their hotel room. Most hotels I’ve stayed in have such poor sound insulation that I can hear what’s going on in your room as I step off the elevator.

As for big brother and big data concerns, I’m afraid we’re already being tracked in so many ways already that this is hardly the one to be most concerned about. Between cell phones tracking the towers you connect to, security and red light cameras able to track your walking and driving movements, even your weather app letting big data know exactly where you are, the genie is out of the bottle already. I don’t like it, but making a stand about digital assistants in hotel rooms is like trying to save the planet by banning straws.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

I’m cracking up that people are paranoid about somebody listening to them in their hotel room. Most hotels I’ve stayed in have such poor sound insulation that I can hear what’s going on in your room as I step off the elevator.

As for big brother and big data concerns, I’m afraid we’re already being tracked in so many ways already that this is hardly the one to be most concerned about. Between cell phones tracking the towers you connect to, security and red light cameras able to track your walking and driving movements, even your weather app letting big data know exactly where you are, the genie is out of the bottle already. I don’t like it, but making a stand about digital assistants in hotel rooms is like trying to save the planet by banning straws.

I don’t know that anyone is “making a stand” over this...? And yes, the genie is out of the bottle, so to speak. That said, there are ways that an informed consumer can limit some of the tracking and data stockpiling.

And it’s looking like Congress may finally be waking up to serious privacy concerns and routine violations by these companies — regulation might be around the corner.

I don’t love all the tracking, but the thing that really bothers me is the deception and lack of transparency around how people give up their private data without REALLY knowing it. I shouldn’t need a degree in Google or FaceBook to tell those companies they cannot track me or store my data.

There is a good reason for people to distrust not just some devices but the companies that produce them and their motives for doing so — hint: it’s not to profit on the device sales.

I’ve always said that Disney is the one company that I don’t care tracks me!! These devices are in a different category for many reasons. If most people don’t care, good for them!! As long as there is a clear FOOL-PROOF opt-out, I couldn’t care less if these are in the rooms.

 

[DLgal]

There's a WDW info channel on the tv in your resort room, that's good enough for me.

And it plays the BEST music!

 

[PolyRob]

And it plays the BEST music!

Funny you mention, the soundtrack seemed like it had been updated on my last trip in December.

 

[DLgal]

Funny you mention, the soundtrack seemed like it had been updated on my last trip in December.

It was.

 

[disneyseniors]

Just as long as Disney doesn't take away Stacey on tv!!!!! We love listening and watching her, even over and over.

 

[mikepizzo]

Lots of people think they aren't interesting enough to matter. The truth is these companies build massive profiles about you that can be used by marketing people to create very personalized and targeting marketing (and as we've been shown propaganda) to manipulate you.

This is what is already being done, imagine what they will be and to do in ten more years with even more data.

Your point is well taken, but I think it's all on the individual to not fall for things.

For what it's worth, I very rarely feel marketed towards. The way I consume my digital media, it's been at least 5 years since commercials or ads were a norm. Online pop-up blockers like uBlock origins even block ads on YouTube.

My social media presence is virtually non-existent compared to others. At this point I use facebook almost exclusively for tracking what movies I've watched. I use the 'watching' action, then search for the movie. I'm a part of a couple graphic design groups as well. If that leads to companies trying to push horror movie recommendations and crafting products, then neat...if those ads ever get to me. And if they do, then cool, I'll see if it piques my interest and look up reviews on what's being offered.

I guess I personally feel like I'm too skeptical of a person to feel manipulated. I'm not saying I haven't been in the past, or won't be in the future, but I also feel like I'm too apathetic about a lot of things to actually get manipulated.

EDIT: I just thought of another example in regards to marketing. I know that data is collected for things besides marketing, but since your post was mainly on marketing I see it this way...

Let's say I go to the Disney Parks and Disney tracks everything I do. They see that I've made more FPs for Haunted Mansion than any other ride. If they want to send me a push notification letting me know that new Haunted Mansion merch is available, then neat. I can go check it out if I want to. While not likely, they may even push me a 10% discount code to really grease the wheel. But just because they push that to me doesn't automatically mean I'm going to go check it out. I will if I want to. I'm still making my own decisions.

 

[middlechild]

Smart speakers as well as smart phones and Internet browsers all have data capture capabilities.
Someone suggested a test that I took, and found enlightening. Here it is: use your browser to do a quick Google search for something that in no way applies to you. I searched for Alcohol Treatment programs, you can search for diabetes test strips, adult diapers, it does not matter as along as you would NEVER have searched for it before. Now pay attention as you move forward to the pop up ads on your phone, computer, email, any Internet device for references to that topic. I was amazed at how many different places that topic showed up in areas I would not have believed to be connected in any way to my Ubuntu desktop and Firefox.
Our devices are tracking us, not for nefarious purposes, but tracking to make a buck through data analytics none the less.

 

[extreme8]

I agree but didn't privacy kind of go out the window with most social media, smart phones, or any smart device really? Heck I am sure even my smart TV does some sort of tracking on me. I do get why some may not like it though.

You had better believe that your TV tracks you.
I read an article the other day (of course I can't find it now, so take my word or don't) saying that TV manufacturers are selling their smart TVs at cost and making all of their money selling the data they collect on you.
That's the reason it's so difficult to buy "dumb" TVs now. They have to be priced less than than smart TVs because they have a lower perceived value, and there is no residual income stream.

Smart home assistant devices have hardware/firmware on board to recognize the wake words before connecting to the internet. Unfortunately it's not perfect. If you have a Google Home you can go online and listen to what it's recorded. I notice that it frequently records 2 or 3 seconds of audio when it mishears something in normal conversation that it interprets to be "OK Google". I'm not sure Amazon allows the same access for the Echo.

To the point of a PP, there are some really interesting videos posted on youtube demonstrating that exact thing, mention something you never cared about and suddenly you're getting ads for that item.
This is the first one I had ever seen. Enlightening.

I only have anecdotal evidence (is that an oxymoron) but I'm convinced that my phone is listening 24/7.
The most recent incident was just a week or so ago. My wife and I were in our bedroom - no home assistant devices in that part of the house but my phone was in my pocket - and I mentioned that I liked to sleep with the comforter on because I liked the extra weight. The next day most websites I visited were advertising weighted blankets.
It often happens that I'll be discussing something and as I open the Google page to search for it Google will suggest that thing in the autocomplete after just 1 or 2 keystrokes.

Before you sign me up for a tinfoil hat a disclaimer - I have both an Echo and a Google Home in my house, I use my smartphone with location tracking on. I'm aware of the privacy I'm giving up but I think the benefit I receive from these products & technology outweighs my concerns.

 

[adam.adbe]

You had better believe that your TV tracks you.
I read an article the other day (of course I can't find it now, so take my word or don't) saying that TV manufacturers are selling their smart TVs at cost and making all of their money selling the data they collect on you.

Vizio[1]. They're more upfront about what they're doing than most, but that's because alongside LG, they got caught with their pants down, and unlike LG their TVs had no way to stop the TV from calling home with details on what was on your screen.

Firewalls take care of many but not all of these issues.

Smart home assistant devices have hardware/firmware on board to recognize the wake words before connecting to the internet. Unfortunately it's not perfect. If you have a Google Home you can go online and listen to what it's recorded. I notice that it frequently records 2 or 3 seconds of audio when it mishears something in normal conversation that it interprets to be "OK Google". I'm not sure Amazon allows the same access for the Echo.

Typically that pre-roll is only locally stored, and is in a cyclic buffer, so it's constantly being overwritten by new audio. For the big four: Amazon, Apple, Google, Microsoft, I wouldn't worry to much about that. There is too much bad-publicity involved in being caught doing something they say they aren't doing. Now when you start hitting the Facebooks and Ubers of this world, all bets are off. They don't care.

To the point of a PP, there are some really interesting videos posted on youtube demonstrating that exact thing, mention something you never cared about and suddenly you're getting ads for that item.
This is the first one I had ever seen. Enlightening.

Web-tracking is slightly different, although the data collected can be no less pernicious. When you search the web through Google[2], they write a cookie to your local system, and use that to link your browser to your search history, to sites you visit, and if applicable to your Google account. Since most adverts on the web are being served by Google (I.E. the ones you see here at disboards), it is trivial for them to have the ads be linked to you search/browsing history. It's not really *following* you around the web, as the ads aren't really part of the page you're looking at. It's more correct to say that there's not much left of the Internet where Google is not already there.


[1] https://www.theverge.com/2019/1/7/1...o-tv-bill-baxter-interview-vergecast-ces-2019

[2] If this kind of thing bothers you, try DuckDuckGo instead.

 

[adam.adbe]

And it’s looking like Congress may finally be waking up to serious privacy concerns and routine violations by these companies — regulation might be around the corner.

Don't get your hopes up. Europe (a market that is far more warm to regulation than the US) made a big effort to deal with some of the challenges facing pervasive data collection. While their goals were laudable the results fall short. At best the new legislation just forces shady companies to be slightly less vague about what they're doing. At worst, it's a pretty toothless piece of theater and a general PITA for everyone. If they can't get it right, we really aren't about to.

Most Americans assume that HIPAA protects their health data. I think they'd be kinda shocked if they knew just how little it actually covers. Similarly banks and stores have been routinely losing our PII and credit card numbers for year now, and no one is even talking about imposing penalties.

I don't think we're quite at the point of trying to close the stable door after the horse has already bolted, but that door is wide open, and the horse looks pretty restless.