Why You Should Disable ‘Amazon Sidewalk’ on All Devices Before June 8

[BBL]

Why You Should Disable ‘Amazon Sidewalk’ on All Devices Before June 8 ...

On June 8, Amazon will automatically connect all wireless smart devices, including Alexa and Echo speakers and Ring cameras, to a “mesh wireless network” that could pose privacy and safety risks.

https://freedomfirstnetwork.com/2021...-before-june-8


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My "community service" for my TRF colleagues who are Amazon customers.

DM

[Mifune]

^ I'm gonna start doing nude 'walk bys' on June 8.

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Amazon driver assaults elderly woman.


An Amazon delivery driver was caught on camera punching a 67-year-old customer during a dispute over a delayed package in Castro Valley, California, KTVU Fox 2 reported.

Footage shows the driver striking the woman multiple times around the face and the head. The incident was captured on a surveillance camera from several angles.

The Amazon worker, Iztel Ramirez, 21, was arrested on Thursday. KTVU Fox 2 reported that Doug Smith, the owner of the elderly woman's apartment building, said the fight began when she received a notification that a package had arrived. But when she went to the lobby to find it, the package wasn't there.

The woman asked Ramirez of its whereabouts and was told she would receive it soon. After waiting for 15 more minutes, the woman reportedly questioned Ramirez again, kicking off a violent dispute.

Smith was quoted as saying: "I believe the Amazon driver said something about 'your white privilege,' and my tenant said, 'You don't need to be a b***h about it,' turned around and walked away."

[BBL]

Hello Mifune:
Your post concerns another subject that IMHO does not belong in this thread. I pray for the injured lady, as many do who are clear thinking, honorable, moral, ethical human beings. It would be appreciated if you deleted your above post.

I am only trying to help those who didn't know about the Amazon mesh launch.

I do not want this thread locked.

Thank you.
DM

[uscmatt99]

I read about this a couple days ago. We don't have any Amazon smart devices. Do you know if there is anything one would need to do with Eero mesh wi-fi routers, since they are now owned by Amazon? It would not surprise me to find out they snuck some crap in on a firmware update that will share our network if we didn't check some opt-out box at some point.

[GradyPhilpott]

I've already opted out, but I may change my mind about that.

At this point, I don't think that I have any devices what would benefit from that feature, so there just no sense in my using it.

I'm not taking a stand on this feature one way or the other. Every convenience comes with trade-offs and, let's face it, all of us who have smartphones and internet access are already producing tons of data.

I do firmly believe that Amazon should have made this an opt-in feature and then made the case for people getting on board for their own benefit and the benefit of others with compatible equipment.

[GradyPhilpott]

Originally Posted by uscmatt99

I read about this a couple days ago. We don't have any Amazon smart devices. Do you know if there is anything one would need to do with Eero mesh wi-fi routers, since they are now owned by Amazon? It would not surprise me to find out they snuck some crap in on a firmware update that will share our network if we didn't check some opt-out box at some point.

Amazon bought the mesh router maker in early 2019 and released a new version of its mesh system later that year. Last year, Amazon introduced two new versions of the Eero system, each of which support the new, faster Wi-Fi 6 standard -- but none of them will double as Sidewalk bridges.

https://www.cnet.com/home/smart-home...q-ble-900-mhz/

[pickettt]

I got rid of all Google and Amazon smart listening devices several years ago, after I found the recordings containing every single query my wife and son had asked. Incidentally, they were all questions about weather and music requests, but that’s not the point.....voice recordings for every single request.

[Blansky]

I'm sure it's mostly BS but I love Apples "non of your business ad".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjf7c-O5GyQ

I personally have no idea of how much of my stuff is being tracked by everyone and anyone but I'm pretty reluctant to partake of google and amazon's "we're making your life more convenient" BS.

If the Russkies, Chinese, USA and others can get into every secure system on the planet I'm quite sure that nothing that connects to the internet is safe from being hacked.

It's convenient all right, but for who?

[uscmatt99]

Originally Posted by GradyPhilpott

Amazon bought the mesh router maker in early 2019 and released a new version of its mesh system later that year. Last year, Amazon introduced two new versions of the Eero system, each of which support the new, faster Wi-Fi 6 standard -- but none of them will double as Sidewalk bridges.

https://www.cnet.com/home/smart-home...q-ble-900-mhz/

Grady, thanks much for the article you linked.

Glad we can keep using our Eero products, which actually work very well. At this point Sidewalk is more innocuous than I'd initially suspected. Broadly it's similar to how Apple is implementing the Airtags, using other people's Apple devices to locate your tag when you've lost something. I still don't trust Amazon as far as I can throw them though!

[GradyPhilpott]

Originally Posted by uscmatt99

Grady, thanks much for the article you linked.



Glad we can keep using our Eero products, which actually work very well. At this point Sidewalk is more innocuous than I'd initially suspected. Broadly it's similar to how Apple is implementing the Airtags, using other people's Apple devices to locate your tag when you've lost something. I still don't trust Amazon as far as I can throw them though!

Sent from my SM-G988U using Tapatalk

[subtona]

Thanks for sharing this.

The manufacturer recently donated over a thousand of their devices to my organization that operates throughout nyc. They were both audio and video enabled. When concerns were brought to the attention of the guy at the top along with concerns articulated in the article you posted, the devices were quickly removed from the facilities.

Nothing is free.

[Rolexatlast]

Don’t appear to have this feature to turn off...has the EU already blocked it under GDPR?

[uscmatt99]

Originally Posted by subtona

Thanks for sharing this.

The manufacturer recently donated over a thousand of their devices to my organization that operates throughout nyc. They were both audio and video enabled. When concerns were brought to the attention of the guy at the top along with concerns articulated in the article you posted, the devices were quickly removed from the facilities.

Nothing is free.

Yeah this has all the makings of a Trojan Horse.

[Blansky]

Originally Posted by uscmatt99

Yeah this has all the makings of a Trojan Horse.

I think that some people are finally awakening to the fact that EVERYTHING from tech/computing/smart is a Trojan horse.

And the surveillance state benefits from it as well.

[77T]

Originally Posted by BBL

Why You Should Disable ‘Amazon Sidewalk’ on All Devices Before June 8 ...
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My "community service" for my TRF colleagues who are Amazon customers.
DM

Thanks for the PSA -

Breaking News: Bezos will go into Space July 20th on his own rocket ship, along with his brother and the winner of a ticket lottery…

Back on topic…

The risk Amazon won’t mention is the “hackers with backers” have likely been working on this since 2019, too. The software developer kit is available to anyone claiming to build a Sidewalk Bridge compatible device.
Risk? Ummm, yeah…

My Contribution: How to disable Amazon Sidewalk today:
1. Open the Alexa app.
2. Tap More in the lower righthand corner of the app.
3. Tap Settings.
4. Tap Account Settings.
5. Tap Amazon Sidewalk.
6. Switch Sidewalk off.

[Romeojk]

My Alexa app was already set to disabled so I guess I’m good?




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[RichM]

Thanks DM for the PSA.

[DonRickles]

We don't have any sidewalks?

[Ferdelious]

I don't see Sidewalk in my account settings on the Alexa app

[BBL]

Originally Posted by Ferdelious

I don't see Sidewalk in my account settings on the Alexa app

Hi Matt.... I don't have Alexa, so I can't check on the settings for a comparison.

I hope some of the TRF tech gurus will chime in to help.


DM

[subtona]

Originally Posted by Ferdelious

I don't see Sidewalk in my account settings on the Alexa app

i didn't see a sidewalk choice either. it appeared there was an option to download a dedicated alexa app? if this choice is better or worse, can't say for sure.

[BBL]

Fox Business televised this subject a few minutes ago, with instructions on how to turn off the sidewalk.

Also applies to Ring alarm system.

[padi56]

Amazon Sidewalk apparently its USA mainly and at the moment not in the UK thankfully.

[BBL]

Thank you to my friends for commenting on this (situation) thread.

Have a wonderful day.

DM

[Sebenza]

Just a general rule of thumb. If a device has a camera or microphone and is connected to the internet, it is most likely recording you.

[Cryten]

I still can't believe people have these things in their houses.

[mjm700]

This is good. I kept forgetting to get rid of these devices. It was a helpful reminder to get that done. My hammer will disable the feature well.


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[77T]

Originally Posted by subtona

i didn't see a sidewalk choice either. it appeared there was an option to download a dedicated alexa app? if this choice is better or worse, can't say for sure.

It’s there - hard to find - tap the “More” item in settings.

Post #15


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[Atone]

i feel like we are weeks away from some skynet type stuff. this is nuts

[Boopie]

Agreed. I still can’t believe my in-laws have an Alexa.

So, open mic in your house just so you can ask Alexa to play a Frank Sinatra song when you feel like it?

No disrespect to The Chairman of the Board…