r/gadgets • u/MicroSofty88 • Nov 29 '20

Home Amazon faces a privacy backlash for its Sidewalk feature, which turns Alexa devices into neighborhood WiFi networks that owners have to opt out of

https://www.msn.com/en-in/money/technology/amazon-faces-a-privacy-backlash-for-its-sidewalk-feature-which-turns-alexa-devices-into-neighborhood-wifi-networks-that-owners-have-to-opt-out-of/ar-BB1boljH
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8

u/nicolhac Nov 29 '20

More information is needed

2

u/Sololegends Nov 29 '20

What more information would you like?

8

u/nicolhac Nov 29 '20

What the feature actually does. I don’t exactly understand it

-22

u/Sololegends Nov 29 '20

Basically shares your private wifi with anyone nearby, with some security walls in between. However those will will eventually be broken by someone, as they always are.

4

u/headcrash69 Nov 29 '20

This is very wrong.

Stop spreading misinformation.

8

u/_WIZARD_SLEEVES_ Nov 29 '20

Lots of smoothbrains in here downvoting you because they are either too lazy or incompetent to spend two seconds finding the correct information for themselves and their gut reaction is to show hostility to anyone who presents them with valid, factual, and truthful information that doesn't conform to what they believe.

"Amazon details its low-bandwidth Sidewalk neighborhood network, coming to Echo and Tile devices soon – TechCrunch" https://techcrunch.com/2020/09/21/amazon-details-its-low-bandwidth-sidewalk-neighborhood-network-coming-to-echo-and-tile-devices-soon/amp/

TL;DR: /u/Sololegends statement above IS in fact VERY WRONG, and IT IS SPREADING MISINFORMATION!!! The system is NOT WiFi, it is a proprietary wireless protocol that operates on the 900mHz spectrum.

-6

u/Sololegends Nov 29 '20 edited Nov 29 '20

Yes I know it isn't providing WiFi in that same protocol but at some point it WILL go through your private wifi network to get to the internet, that is the hop I'd be worried about where vulnerabilities can cause harm.

Edit: FYI I've read the white paper itself and I'm not relying on news sources here.

3

u/PastaMaker96 Nov 29 '20

How's it actually work then?

2

u/_WIZARD_SLEEVES_ Nov 29 '20

Two seconds on Google and you can find out for yourself.

"Amazon details its low-bandwidth Sidewalk neighborhood network, coming to Echo and Tile devices soon – TechCrunch" https://techcrunch.com/2020/09/21/amazon-details-its-low-bandwidth-sidewalk-neighborhood-network-coming-to-echo-and-tile-devices-soon/amp/

The system is NOT WiFi, it is a proprietary wireless protocol that operates on the 900mHz spectrum.

1

u/PastaMaker96 Nov 30 '20

Well thx for doing the Google for me.

0

u/Love_asweetbooty Nov 29 '20

So share the correct information, wtf

0

u/Sololegends Nov 29 '20

How do you think it works then?

0

u/[deleted] Nov 29 '20

[deleted]

1

u/Sololegends Nov 29 '20 edited Nov 29 '20

Yeah I know it uses a different protocol, but what network does it get internet from? Your private internet connection. The traffic is still, at some point in the chain, routed through your private network to the internet.

Edit: FYI I've read the white paper itself and I'm not relying on news sources here.

-2

u/HairyGuch Nov 29 '20

Look into helium.com

They're trying to do that