Privacy Concerns

You maybe correct, but the specs on the Sonos 5 do claim 2 microphones. Thoughts as to why?

You maybe correct, but the specs on the Sonos 5 do claim 2 microphones. Thoughts as to why?

Sonos has stated that they were put in possibly for room tuning, but they were never used, as the iPhone mic can be far more effective at this task, as it can be walked around the room.

I have a product development background. The mics were designed in for a long-term product goal. Sonos have not been totally quiet on their ambitions to compete with the likes of Google and Amazon. I am unhappy about the metadata and any potential backdoor application that could be pushed out to the Sonos 5.
Posted on SlashDot
"Sonos has confirmed that existing customers will not be given an option to opt out of its new privacy policy, leaving customers with sound systems that may eventually "cease to function". It comes as the home sound system maker prepares to begin collecting audio settings, error data, and other account data before the launch of its smart speaker integration in the near future. A spokesperson for the home sound system maker told ZDNet that, "if a customer chooses not to acknowledge the privacy statement, the customer will not be able to update the software on their Sonos system, and over time the functionality of the product will decrease. The customer can choose to acknowledge the policy, or can accept that over time their product may cease to function."

You maybe correct, but the specs on the Sonos 5 do claim 2 microphones. Thoughts as to why?

Sonos has stated that they were put in possibly for room tuning, but they were never used, as the iPhone mic can be far more effective at this task, as it can be walked around the room.

I wanted to confirm this, the mics in the PLAY:5 gen2 were originally designed with room tuning and future use in mind. However, to this day, they are inactive. The PLAY:5 gen2 doesn't even know how to turn them on yet as they are entirely unutilized right now. For room tuning, we need to be able to "listen" where you are going to be sitting, as it's not so important to know what it sounds like at the speaker's location.

You'll be notified prior to any change in the status of the microphone, and we will ask for permission to activate them too.

I have a product development background. The mics were designed in for a long-term product goal. Sonos have not been totally quiet on their ambitions to compete with the likes of Google and Amazon. I am unhappy about the metadata and any potential backdoor application that could be pushed out to the Sonos 5.
Posted on SlashDot
"Sonos has confirmed that existing customers will not be given an option to opt out of its new privacy policy, leaving customers with sound systems that may eventually "cease to function". It comes as the home sound system maker prepares to begin collecting audio settings, error data, and other account data before the launch of its smart speaker integration in the near future. A spokesperson for the home sound system maker told ZDNet that, "if a customer chooses not to acknowledge the privacy statement, the customer will not be able to update the software on their Sonos system, and over time the functionality of the product will decrease. The customer can choose to acknowledge the policy, or can accept that over time their product may cease to function."

To the bolded: I've got news for you, they've been collecting "audio settings, error data, and other account data" all along, and that fact has been in the privacy policy for a long, long time. You know, the same privacy policy that you originally agreed to when you bought your Sonos, and you paid no attention until some obscure website posted nonsense and got people all fired up over nothing in order to generate clicks? How's it feel to be manipulated?

@Jgatie. How does it feel to be naive? Sure, the original EULA did claim "audio settings, error data, and other account data" but the expectation of privacy will always need to be considered after all, the end user is buying an Audio Speaker System and not a "home helper". The fact that Sonos is mandating expansion of the original EULA, adding additional undefined capabilities and stating that the device may cease to function if upgrades are not performed should be of concern to all Sonos users.

I have worked in IT Security since 2011 in both commercial and government agencies protecting infrastructure against such data/metadata exfiltration attacks.

I suggest your read up. SANS.org or ISC2 are good starting places.

Here is one of the first class actions against Sonos.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2017/08/24/sonos-triggers-fight-over-privacy-with-new-data-rules-for-audio-devices/FOvJy8dkgeiylkv8RKot0J/story.html

*YAWN*

I would counter your quip about my naivete by asking how it feels to wear a tin-foil hat so tight that it cuts off oxygen to the brain, but I'm not into personal attacks.

I do find it funny that you criticize my naivete, but you yourself trust a story that states as fact "It comes as the home sound system maker prepares to begin collecting audio settings, error data, and other account data before the launch of its smart speaker integration in the near future" when Sonos is not preparing "to begin collecting" any of these things, for they have been doing it all along. To used a very overused, but totally applicable in this case term - You are falling for fake news.

But I will sit back and laugh when that lawsuit ultimately gets thrown out of court.

The fact that Sonos is mandating expansion of the original EULA, adding additional undefined capabilities and stating that the device may cease to function if upgrades are not performed should be of concern to all Sonos users.

This has also always been the case, if I remember correctly somewhere around the release of 6.0 Spotify would stop working if you didn't update since the way how Spotify connected had changed.

@jgatie..It seems you are very much invested in Sonos based on the equipment list so I understand your avoidance of the issues here. I will not respond any further to your quips. BTW Aluminium has replaced Tin in foil since 1910. There are some really good books out there that may help you catch up.


You’re a loudmouth, baby. You better shut it up. I’m gonna beat you up ’cause you’re a loudmouth, babe.
-Ramones, Loudmouth

*Double YAWN* :8