Privacy Update

It has been stated repeatedly that the current Play:5 microphones are not a far-field array and thus will not be used for any voice control process. Future Sonod devices may have far-field array mics, but the current units do not have the capability.

"Sonos doesn't have anywhere near the resources to just be "open recording" all of the rooms in your house. Audio data isn't trivial in size, and the cost to ingest/retain all of it would be outside Sonos' reach.

It's worth mentioning that speakers aren't microphones too."

They are going to record everything for 20 seconds locally, then over write if no "wake up" word recognised.
The PLAY5 has microphones too.

My previous post may come off as egregiously flippant, so I will explain some of the reasons I said it.

Being concerned about a large corporation collecting data from a speaker, that is on all day every day in my living room, kids rooms and bedroom is hysterics? GTFO it is called being a responsible adult.

Sonos probably isn't a "large" company by most standards. I can't say for sure because they are private, but that's what I can tell from what's been made available.

Your fear is likely driven by a misunderstanding in what's actually possible. Sonos doesn't have anywhere near the resources to just be "open recording" all of the rooms in your house. Audio data isn't trivial in size, and the cost to ingest/retain all of it would be outside Sonos' reach.

It's worth mentioning that speakers aren't microphones too.

The data they collect is/will be hugely valuable,

It's nice to think that our "personal data" is of significant value. The truth is that it isn't. You're thinking that there's some inherent value to what the name of your Sonos group is in a room, but I'm telling you the historical evidence suggests that isn't accurate. Even much, much more useful information such as your aggregated search history is worth relatively little.

Side note for all, if you want to see what the masters of data collection do check out your results on: https://myactivity.google.com/myactivity

Why should I let them know what my very young kids listen to for years and years?

I think you misread the policy. They are not recording what songs you're listening to.

Why should they know when I listen to my music form my NAS? How is this necessary if I am not asking for support?

As with a fair number of the functional items this isn't about support but about customer use. By collecting how you listen to your data Sonos can tell how they should be spending their resources. If no one is using their NAS to stream then they shouldn't be spending development dollars on it. It's incredibly valuable for them, and I can't imagine how it actually causes the end user harm for them to know. Car companies are doing a lot of this type of collection, but again, many people don't know about it.

Responses here haven't be all that helpful, what I've reard (paraphrasing) is that other companies do this all the time, who cares if they know I listen to X artist in the bathroom or you don't understand the technicalities of the product

I'm not going to try and convince you that you shouldn't feel the way you do. I'm posting in these threads to make sure other people have an accurate understanding. It is accurate to say that this is standard procedure. It's also accurate to say that you're misunderstanding some of the technicalities, but I do appreciate that you have feelings about data collection.

I'd rather Sonos offered an opt out too, but I'm appreciative that they've been upfront and clear about their intentions. If they change their practice in the future to collect inappropriate details then I'll join the protest against it. At this time though, I don't find harm.

For you has there been something concerning added?

I am not that concerned about the changes in the Sonos privacy policy. In fact, I have already accepted the policy and installed the update. What I am concerned about is the attitude expressed in the ZDNet statement from the Sonos employee.

I want and expect Sonos to succeed. However, this is a PR blunder and should be corrected.

Nice try being upfront and communicating your intentions, but I've got hysterics to throw!

Being concerned about a large corporation collecting data from a speaker, that is on all day every day in my living room, kids rooms and bedroom is hysterics? GTFO it is called being a responsible adult.

The data they collect is/will be hugely valuable, Given the social identifiers they collect along with the things you can't opt out of, the profile they build is going to be $$$$ and it is going to worthwhile/impossible for them not to expand its use. I don't trust them not to abuse this over time. Other companies do this all the time, Sonos is following a familliar pattern. What is different about Sonos is that they are a physical object I own, not a bank account, credit card or service that I can just cancel.

I don't want them building profiles on what me and my family listens to over the next decade+ of ownership. For example, I don't want them knowing the room names unless I need support - I have personal reasons for this. Why should I let them know what my very young kids listen to for years and years? I don't want them to know when I am watching TV, the format or listening to my music. Why should they know when I listen to my music form my NAS? How is this necessary if I am not asking for support? BasicallyI don't want them monitoring continually recording "functional data" from my network unless I need support and grouping a whole bunch of items, saying it is required for my system to run is totally disingenous on their part.

I've read the policy, I've engaged customer support via email and twitter and they are providing ZERO new information about specific questions I have about the policy. Engaging circle the wagon mode instead of trying to help me understand why I should be happy with Sonos is not what I expect from the company.

These are concerns that I have that you may not share or think are totally irrational. Responses here haven't be all that helpful, what I've reard (paraphrasing) is that other companies do this all the time, who cares if they know I listen to X artist in the bathroom or you don't understand the technicalities of the product, they must know when you watch tv on your playbar for reasons.

So Skelton, I will gladly read any comments you may wish to provide about why my concerns are totally irrational and that I should just shut up about it and continue my life.

Hello! SInce this "update", I have a big problem with the sound. It seems that the Dolby Digitat 2.0 does not pass any more and the rear speakers do a strange noise like a "click". I seems that the Dolby Digital 5.0 is OK, but in Switzerland there is several channels who broadcast Dolby Digital 2.0. I have a Playbar, a SUB and 2 Play:1. I changed the settings of my television Samsung as on the joined photos but i dont want to have only stereo sound!! 😠 Somebody else has this problem ? Thanks in advance and excuse me for my bad english.

Hi there Cococo, yes I have very similar problems since the Sonos update. I can only get consistent sound if set to Stereo. Otherwise it gives me those clicks if I change channel, or move from one YouTube clip to another on my smart TV. Pass through of 5.1 seems OK, but even then it often fails.

This has now been picked up by ZD Net

http://www.zdnet.com/article/sonos-accept-new-privacy-policy-speakers-cease-to-function/

Sonos is learning that people on the Internet are so eager to be outraged that they rarely concern themselves with the facts.


IMO, this isn't just so much with people being unconcerned with fact, but media that is less concerned about facts as they are with clicks and whatever their personal agenda is. The two feed off each other in a downward cycle.


Edited by moderator

Sonos is learning that people on the Internet are so eager to be outraged that they rarely concern themselves with the facts.

Nice try being upfront and communicating your intentions, but I've got hysterics to throw!

Also getting a lot of attention on old and new social media.

https://mobile.twitter.com/search?q=Sonos+privacy+policy&src=typed_query

https://m.slashdot.org/story/330297

https://www.reddit.com/r/privacy/comments/6vaa17/sonos_says_users_must_accept_new_privacy_policy/

This is getting a lot of attention:

https://www.secnews24.com/2017/08/22/sonos-says-users-must-accept-new-privacy-policy-or-devices-may-cease-to-function-2/

https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/08/22/sonos_forces_revised_privacy_terms/

https://www.v3.co.uk/v3-uk/news/3016134/sonos-threat-to-decrease-functionality-of-customers-products-if-they-dont-agree-to-privacy-policy-changes

https://pacific.epeak.in/2017/08/23/sonos-privacy-policy-sparks-outrage-speakers-may-cease-to-function/

https://rbfirehose.com/2017/08/22/zdnet-sonos-says-users-must-accept-new-privacy-policy-or-devices-may-cease-to-function/

After the latest update my surround stopped working. Looking at a movie with Dolby digital 5.1 but the playbar say that the input is stereo? Is a bug in 7.4?