I'm sure you think you're trying to prove some point, but really you're just being a jerk. If someone I'd invited into my home did this kind of thing, they'd be un-invited pretty fast.
I get some people have their pet causes/conspiracy theories - but is doing this at your friend's place really the place to be getting on your soapbox?
If you want to make a change - go run for office, or campaign for something. Don't just be a armchair jerk.
I know plenty of people like this that have their pet causes (usually government surveillance, or the industrial-corporate machine, or eating meat etc.) - proselytising and ranting to your friends is one thing (and look, we all rant at times, so give some, take some) - but being a jerk about it is childish and immature.
>... but is doing this at your friend's place really the place to be getting on your soapbox?
Who said it's a soapbox? Personally I'd find it hilarious watching a friend scramble to unplug their poorly-designed voice assistant—assuming they even cared, which they probably wouldn't.
>... proselytising and ranting to your friends is one thing ...
What about to people on the internet, telling them they're childish, immature jerks for not giving a shit about chilling effects when they're in private?
If your friend bought it, maybe they don't consider is a "poorly-designed voice assistant"? Maybe they think you're just trying to misuse their device, and being a bit silly?
It's the equivalent of going to somebody's unlocked laptop and typing in "XXX bum photos" or "how to kill the president. Or yelling "Fire! Fire!" to scare somebody.
Yes, it's probably quite funny when you're young (and you shouldn't leave unlocked laptops around) - but come on, really?
Look, we're obviously talking at different levels here - so I think I'm going to withdraw from this fight. There's little I have to gain here.
BTW - To nepthar, unethical_ban, and rl3 - if any of you actually are under the age of 16 - then I'm sorry, I apologise and withdraw my earlier comments - have fun, buddy - try to squeeze in all the pranks/stupidity you can before you have to be an adult =).
>If your friend bought it, maybe they don't consider is a "poorly-designed voice assistant"? Maybe they think you're just trying to misuse their device, and being a bit silly?
I'd like to think people are the best judges of how their own friends will react, but maybe that's naïve.
>It's the equivalent of going to somebody's unlocked laptop and typing in "XXX bum photos" or "how to kill the president. Or yelling "Fire! Fire!" to scare somebody.
Those examples aren't even comparable to each other, let alone to a bunch of orders made via voice assistant that probably end up instantly canceled.
>Yes, it's probably quite funny when you're young ...
>Look, we're obviously talking at different levels here ...
>... There's little I have to gain here.
>... if any of you actually are under the age of 16
>... before you have to be an adult ...
You may have overdone the condescension there just a little bit.
> Those examples aren't even comparable to each other, let alone to a bunch of orders made via voice assistant that probably end up instantly canceled.
We started with thermite ingredients and plane to Syria, something clearly made to potentially trigger USGOV anti-terrorism surveillance. It won't be fun for anyone if somehow it actually works. It's a joke at someone else's low-probability but life-threatening expense.
It's like doing pranks to scare random strangers. All fun and games until you meet the one with a heart condition that gets triggered by your joke.
The probability it actually triggers anything is virtually zero. You say as much in your other comment.
Driving a friend to a surprise party would be far more dangerous on multiple levels. Life is full of risk, and if you minimize it to the maximum extent possible it's quite boring.
Obviously there's some things you don't joke about, such as presidential security, inciting panic in public places, joking about terrorism in an airport, unsafe pranks on strangers, et cetera. That's all common sense.
Adding a bunch of suspicious crap to the cart and looking up a flight on your friend's unsecured voice assistant is more akin to two people making a campy NSA joke during a private chat session. The latter happens all the time, no one cares.
Granted, if your friend is a Syrian national living in the U.S. on a temporary visa then I might agree with you. :)
Making a joke at Alexa's expense is fun. Making it at your friend's (possibly huge) expense? Not fun.
I mean, what would 'nepthar do if for some reason the police actually showed up? Or if he/she found out later that their neighbour was denied boarding because TSA pulled some logs from somewhere? I mean, besides having a story to leak to papers, how would 'nepthar feel about getting their friend in life-threatening trouble?
As minuscule as the possibility is, the joke seems funny mostly because this possibility exists (or at least is perceived to exist). This all is akin to doing pranks to scare the shit out of random people. It all sounds funny until you realize that some of those people may have heart conditions and could get seriously harmed by such a pranks.
Maybe nepthar was making a joke because nepthar has a sense of humor. Maybe that joke was highlighting the absurdity of having an unsecured, always-on listening device in your home that may be used against you.
Instead, Hacker News tries to rip him apart for not observing the chilling effect said device creates, despite the complete legality of it. Ironic.
