THEY ARE LISTENING EVERY WORD !!!

dhruvtalksstech
May 7, 2022
2 min read

Updated: Dec 9, 2022

When using Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom, microphone access is required so that our voice reaches the people in the meeting. But the complication arises when we get to know that it is actively using and recording voices from our mic the whole duration of our presence in the meeting even when we are not speaking. That is apparent from the fact that when the mic is on mute and there is a voice, it shows on screen to unmute if we want to speak something. Such a scenario is only possible if it uses the mic at all times.

I see this as a major infringement and backdoor to invade privacy. Instead, the mechanism should be such that it only activates our microphone when we unmute it willingly. There is no need to unnecessarily have access to the microphone during the whole duration. Moreover, what is even more appalling is that it blocks us from using their services if we don't consent to be recorded during the whole duration of our presence at the web conference.

Such a practice only gives them a better dominating and exploiting monopoly in the part which is used by them to exploit small and emerging businesses. The United States Congress is the embodiment of preventing monopolies and helping small businesses grow. This protects the economy and also the citizens. It has called several CEOs of tech companies to appear in front of Congress in the recent past and questioned them about the mentioned activities.

Apple has done things prudently. They only allow Zoom and other video conferencing platforms to only enable your mic when you actually your mic. For the rest of the time, it stays mute and thus is not able to listen to everything happening around you.

Of course, it has its own cons, you may not be notified the next time you are on mute but start speaking. This can be incredibly infuriating when your camera is off and there is no one to notice that you are not audible. But are you willing to have all of your private and personal talks being heard by some person who is a thousand miles and has no conscience of your existence?

It is the choice of calculating which has higher stakes - Losing convenience in 1 in 40 meetings or being traded as a commodity by the big and manipulative tech oligarchs who aren't reserved to rub shoulders with the President of the United States.