Kindle Privacy

[softshell]

This has been discussed a bit in other threads, but none of them really answer this specific question:

I was reading an article stating that Amazon has the right to report the information they've collected from your Kindle "in non-aggregate form" to law enforcement and litigants, as well as for internal use.

What exactly does this mean? If you have a pirated book they just report you to the police? This is a somewhat scary notion, since having looked at what the kindle sends to amazon, it seems to include location, pages read, etc etc.

Has anybody watched the movie Se7en? SPOILER:

The book reading habits are what lead Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt to the murderer!

Does this mean I shouldn't read Helter Skelter on my Kindle? (note: i don't even know what that book is, and am too lazy to google it at the moment, i just remember it's one of the books morgan freeman mentions is flagged). Is there a hack for the latest Kindle 3 software that lets me turn off the big brother-ness of the Kindle without risk of bricking or damaging it?

[gargoyle67]

How do Amazon know you haven't purchased the book elsewhere or even bought the paper\hard back and scanned it in yourself ?

[xnowimcoolx]

Are you concerned because you're breaking the law? You have the freedom to read whatever you want to read (in a lot of countries), including book hollywood says are 'flagged'.

As for copyright infringement, Amazon has no proof, and a name of a file isn't proof enough. For them to start handing people over on that basis would be financial/business suicide.

Seven: The killer was reading the 14th c. book Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer. Helter Skelter is about The Manson Family.

[TheKindleWorm]

I can't see why Amazon or any law enforcement would be interested unless someone is doing something seriously illegal. I remember one place I used to work there was a very quiet chap who kept to himself. The Police stormed in one day and confiscated his computer - turned out he'd been downloading child pornography at work. He's now in prison. People who do things like that can thankfully be traced no matter what "hiding" devices they try and use over the Internet. So obviously if someone was using their Kindle for that kind of thing, Amazon would have every right to alert the authorities. But just what books you're reading? No I don't think that's a biggie!

[desertblues]

Well; when I had some troubles one day with my Kindle and I emailed to Amazon if I was wise to download to update 01.; before I got an answer, the next day that update was on my Kindle (before they pushed it automatically to all customers). I was a bit surprised that they didn't communicate about that. But I thought; well, I would have had that update anyway.
The next week I phoned Amazon because I couldn't use the searchfunction and the Kindle kept freezing up on that. Someone from Amazon asked: " do you mind if I look in your Kindle?''. Stupid, but somehow it felt like he asked ' can I look into your home?". He didn't ask if I had my Wifi on or what, so I wondered at that time if Amazon always has access to my Kindle?
I have to do some research; what's their policy. But yes, somehow, both times it felt a bit like an intrusion. Maybe that's something personal.
I did wonder at that time, whether they could see/read all my documents on the Kindle.

[TheKindleWorm]

When you think about it, we leave traces of ourselves all the time - browsing the Internet, downloading off the internet, shopping with credit cards, store cards and even what books we read at the library. It's pretty hard to remain anonymous these days.

As long as you're not doing anything really dodgy, I wouldn't worry too much. You don't want to start getting paranoid about this Big Brother thing!

[zoran]

I was aware of the very problem, not only for reader. Take a look at
links and you will find yourself stunned:
http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2010/01...-guide-privacy
www.eff.org/deeplinks/2009/12/e-book-privacy
Seems that device is not safe, whatever you try. Turning wifi off might
be the first step. The problem is that it is networked gadget at the heart.
Without it you loose easy part. Books could be added via usb cable and
read as usual. Other opinions?

[Zerodime]

Lets step away from child pornography and even murder, lets just say, your living in china, you've got a kindle and bought a book the Chinese regime deems as unlawful (maybe the "New York Times" for example [citation needed])
Now Amazon has to (as in even if they don't want to) report what these individual bought when asked by the Chinese regime.

Do you now understand why it's terribad when someone has access to your devices/buy history without your consent?

[TheKindleWorm]

Originally Posted by Zerodime

Lets step away from child pornography and even murder, lets just say, your living in china, you've got a kindle and bought a book the Chinese regime deems as unlawful (maybe the "New York Times" for example [citation needed])
Now Amazon has to (as in even if they don't want to) report what these individual bought when asked by the Chinese regime.

Do you now understand why it's terribad when someone has access to your devices/buy history without your consent?

Yes but surely this doesn't just apply to the Kindle then? In the example you quote it could apply anywhere you purchase books or reading material full stop - and unless you pay by cash, payments methods can also be traced. My point is that if you're doing something illegal, you can be traced by a variety of methods - it's up to you whether you want to take that risk or not.

[Zerodime]

Sure it is (and not only a problem with kindle/amazon/google), but I wanted to clarify that this isn't always in the best interest of us.
The Problem some of us with such practices is not that murderers and such scum can be traced but also activists.

Everytime you design/install/buy a device or program to/that allow it to get userdata from you you have to ask yourself "Is that really necessary?".
Yes I do own a Kindle, even a Googlemail account, but then I'm not an activist, but If I would like to become one because I think my country is against it's people, then I will have do abandon all these things.

I more or less answered to this quote of you:

I can't see why Amazon or any law enforcement would be interested unless someone is doing something seriously illegal....

[MrPLD]

Originally Posted by TheKindleWorm

As long as you're not doing anything really dodgy, I wouldn't worry too much. You don't want to start getting paranoid about this Big Brother thing!

The problem really is though that if, for what ever reasons, someone wants to mess with your life, they can gain access to vastly too much data which can be greatly misconstrued or taken out of context.

To put it into an extreme example, assume they had rights/ability to see what you're thinking - every had a strange notion flash through your mind to pick up a knife and stab someone/something? Now, say someone wants to ruin your life, oust you or make you bend they've got all the dirt they need.

The trouble is that with all this handy information at their fingertips they can cast you into some very ugly light without you having any opportunity to explain or defend.



Paul.

[DiapDealer]

Do you now understand why it's terribad when someone has access to your devices/buy history without your consent?

The problem is, they have your consent. You gave it when you bought it.

I understand privacy concerns, and I sympathize with those who don't necessarily like the way things are trending. But really, your only options are to carefully read the License/Terms of Use Agreements and make your stand by not buying/using the device/service in question.

Complaining after you've agreed to to their terms is really rather pointless. Make your stand by not purchasing... or not at all.

[desertblues]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

The problem is, they have your consent. You gave it when you bought it.

I understand privacy concerns, and I sympathize with those who don't necessarily like the way things are trending. But really, your only options are to carefully read the License/Terms of Use Agreements and make your stand by not buying/using the device/service in question.

Complaining after you've agreed to to their terms is really rather pointless. Make your stand by not purchasing... or not at all.

You're absolutely right, and that is the consequence of being on the wordlwideweb, living in and with the digital world.
But I still get a weird feeling when I think of the moment when ' Chris from Amazon' asked me if he could look in my Kindle.

[DiapDealer]

But I still get a weird feeling when I think of the moment when ' Chris from Amazon' asked me if he could look in my Kindle.

No doubt.

But take comfort from the fact that Chris at least pretended you had the option to say 'no'.

[Gearhead]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Complaining after you've agreed to to their terms is really rather pointless. Make your stand by not purchasing... or not at all.

Or, as the OP asked, we could develop or discover a hack to let us have control over the amount of data Amazon can collect. IMO, Amazon should not be requiring any personal data collection. It should be opt-in only.