How much does Amazon know about my books?

[whitearrow]

Originally Posted by FF2

It appears lots of folks worry less about privacy than some of us.

It's not a question of worrying about privacy more or less -- it's a question of when an individual decides this is an issue.

IMO, the time to be concerned and investigate what a device does with your data is before you buy it. Amazon discloses what information it collects in its terms of use and its privacy policy -- it's not like it's a secret. What I find somewhat odd is becoming suddenly concerned after buying the device, and subsequent accusations of "big brother" when the exact information about what Amazon collects and what it does with that information has been there the whole time.

[ManosHandsOfFate]

Originally Posted by Tiersten

If you really don't want Amazon to know what you've got on your Kindle then don't ever enable wireless on it. Thats the only guaranteed solution which doesn't require hacking the Kindle.

I have it on good authority that even if you have your wifi turned off, the Kindle is set to automatically re-enable it in the wee hours of the morning and upload directly to Jeff Bezos's personal computer all your creepy sexual Star Trek fanfic!

[kindlekitten]

Originally Posted by FF2

From the OP.

It appears lots of folks worry less about privacy than some of us. I'm curious that the topic had not been raised earlier. But again, I guess the ol' "if you have nothing to hide then ....." is the mantra of ereader users.

seriously... so

Originally Posted by ManosHandsOfFate

I have it on good authority that even if you have your wifi turned off, the Kindle is set to automatically re-enable it in the wee hours of the morning and upload directly to Jeff Bezos's personal computer all your creepy sexual Star Trek fanfic!

which brings me to this; not aliens or Jeff Bezos. because at the end of the day who really is that interesting?

[Barty]

I like to point out that the idea that there are too many kindles out there and it'd be too much data to keep track of is unsound. Twitter deals with over 50 new millions tweets per day, and more every day, and Twitter does not even have a business model! Amazon actually have a side business of providing server and bandwidth for other companies. And the amount of metadata they would have to send per device to keep track of everything you put on there is really not much at all, like 200 bytes per book? So the only question is is it something they want to be CAUGHT doing.

There will be a backlash for sure, but like so many privacy brouhahas, it will probably just blow over and people will continue to use the service. Just ask Facebook

[whitearrow]

Originally Posted by Barty

And the amount of metadata they would have to send per device to keep track of everything you put on there is really not much at all, like 200 bytes per book? So the only question is is it something they want to be CAUGHT doing.

"Caught?" It's in the Kindle license agreement!

Information Received. The Device Software will provide Amazon with data about your Device and its interaction with the Service (such as available memory, up-time, log files and signal strength) and information related to the content on your Device and your use of it (such as automatic bookmarking of the last page read and content deletions from the Device). Annotations, bookmarks, notes, highlights, or similar markings you make in your Device are backed up through the Service. Information we receive is subject to the Amazon.com Privacy Notice.

[Tiersten]

Originally Posted by whitearrow

"Caught?" It's in the Kindle license agreement!

It appears all the people that are extremely concerned about privacy and complain about it don't actually read the agreements before purchasing the Kindle...