British Spies Studied Kinect
GCHQ looked at the Microsoft Xbox add-on for mass observation
The UK spy/surveillance HQ at GCHQ has recently been outed for a program called Optic Nerve that stole Yahoo webcam footage from webchats from innocent, unsuspecting webchatters. It's also become clear that Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Xbox One Kinect camera has also been considered for such use.
The Guardian newspaper has been publishing documents that came to light via the US Whistle Blower Edward Snowden. Some of these from GCHQ have brought the use of webcams in citizen's houses to light.
The paper also reports, however, that, "While the (unearthed GCHQ) documents do not detail efforts as widescale as those against Yahoo users, one presentation discusses with interest the potential and capabilities of the Xbox 360's Kinect camera, saying it generated "fairly normal webcam traffic" and was being evaluated as part of a wider program."
There's nothing yet to suggest that it use of Kinect footage was useful to the spies. But there's nothing to suggest it didn't either.
The Guardian newspaper has been publishing documents that came to light via the US Whistle Blower Edward Snowden. Some of these from GCHQ have brought the use of webcams in citizen's houses to light.
The paper also reports, however, that, "While the (unearthed GCHQ) documents do not detail efforts as widescale as those against Yahoo users, one presentation discusses with interest the potential and capabilities of the Xbox 360's Kinect camera, saying it generated "fairly normal webcam traffic" and was being evaluated as part of a wider program."
There's nothing yet to suggest that it use of Kinect footage was useful to the spies. But there's nothing to suggest it didn't either.
Companies:
Microsoft
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Comments
Jake 1 Mar 2014 15:49
1/1
This was the reason for me buying a ps4 after many years of been an xbox 360 owner, because of the always on video and voice recognition that could be abused by unscrupulous people a.k.a illegal British and American spying agencies. This is one of the major reasons why people have taking the switch away from the xbox and Microsoft should sue it's own government for loss of revenue because of it's 1984 Orwellian spying. GCHQ and NSA are both now wearing t-shirts saying 'I'm with stupid'.