Surveillance Starts With a G

 

Lately, I keep getting a request to leave a rating for a service or product … for everything. Window cleaning, dryer repair, ordered a candle, ordered some olive oil, clothing, dentist visit, eye exam, routine doctor visit, drugstore purchase, etc. Immediately on the same day, I am asked to complete a survey … for everything I am doing or wherever I have made a purchase.

If the experience was exceptional, I want to do it. But when I click on “take the survey,” I am asked to log in with my email address and on everything, it says ‘powered by Google’! So I back out. I have Gmail, like millions of others. I have noticed the speed has picked up and my phone is anxious to fill in more words that I don’t choose, in both email and text. I have had emails disappear from my phone of a religious nature by magic. I set my phone down to take a sip of coffee or water, and the story is gone. It’s not in my trash — just disappears.

I had Dish before our current move. I was pleased with them. The tech arrived just as Covid was unfolding. He set it up and pulled out a long speaker system to lay in front of my TV. I said I don’t want that. He said I know, but I have to show that I offered it and take a picture. He packed it up. He showed me all the features. I said I don’t want voice activation on my TV or from remote, so he disabled it. He said you will get a survey. They ask you to rate my performance from 1 to 10. If you don’t rate me a ten on all answers I fail. I get a bad review. This is Google’s policy. I gave him a 10 and made a mental note.

I moved with their service to two new residences. At our last home, I got up late at night and saw a camera light beaming from the box in our bedroom. I had never seen this before. The main box was in the living room. I stared at it and went to the restroom and back to sleep. It went out. This happened several times and at one point, I went over at 2 a.m. and looked at it, and it went off. Nuts! We are sleeping, so what is this? In the daylight, the boxes do not show any buttons or any visible signs of a camera on the box. It’s at the far right end.

My sister is moving in two days and ordered Dish. I told her my story and she said, “I’ll throw a towel over it.” I decided when we last moved to go with a new cable company. I called Dish and it was like being in a high-pressure car loan office. They questioned why I was leaving for 35 minutes. I was transferred to two different departments and they refused to comply. I was willing to pay off my remaining contract and they applied further pressure including two managers. It was a disturbing departure.

My husband’s company had an employee who was a flake and lasted a week on the job. She gave a bad review on Google. They had a five-star rating until this. The owner was distraught. They are so good that they do not advertise. They are word of mouth – a residential landscape company, and are booked out until January 2024.  A new customer also gave a bad review because he demanded sooner attention and had to wait his turn. So two negative reviews dropped the stellar reputation. It has since been repaired, but the power that Google, ratings and all, holds over companies is appalling.

When simple search engines came out, I used Ask Jeeves. Remember that friendly butler who could answer your inquiry? Now we have a “search engine” that has the power to make or break. They are linked to our defense department, they have mysterious floating ships that no one knows what kind of research or surveillance is taking place.

They say every keystroke is recorded, your habits and preferences, whereabouts, your voice, your photo. It’s not deleted. Ma Bell was broken up for less than that so why do we allow a few companies like Google/ Alphabet, META, Twitter, Instagram, and others to hold so much power over news, personal information, and censorship like a wretched Tower of Babel that can grant or take away freedom?

We’ve seen how something spoken or an unfortunate youthful folly can bring down a politician or a teacher or anyone who has actually lived with the misfortune of being human. Now add AI, ESG, and other monitoring capabilities. We have created a new Tower of Babel. Babylon was brutal and we have forgotten how that story ended.

Google quietly removed its starting motto, “Don’t Be Evil,” in 2015. AI developers wanted them to cut ties with the military that was using them for the development of AI.

The updated code of conduct comes as artificial intelligence researchers call for Google to abandon a project developing AI technology for the military.

Google’s refusal to cut ties with the US military led to the resignation of around a dozen employees from the company, who cited ethical concerns and warned that autonomous weapons directly contradicted the firm’s famous ‘Don’t be evil’ motto.

They chose Babylon instead. Surveillance starts with a G.

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  1. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    I don’t get it as much as you, apparently, but when I do get asked to rate someone’s customer service or something, I usually decline because I really don’t know YET if the problem I was trying to get fixed, has actually been fixed.  So why would I try to rate it NOW?

    • #1
  2. CarolJoy, Not So Easy To Kill Coolidge
    CarolJoy, Not So Easy To Kill
    @CarolJoy

    I’m sure many people here will   chime in with stories to match yours.

    There have been so many times recently that I wished computer and digital technology had never advanced beyond whatever it was in 2005 or so.

    But don’t worry too much, Front Seat Cat. Soon everything Google does will be by AI, so an even Braver Newer World can be expected!

    • #2
  3. OldPhil Coolidge
    OldPhil
    @OldPhil

    I took my car in to the dealer last week for the annual state inspection (no other work).  It took 15 minutes.

    I’ve received five emails asking me to complete a “2-minute” survey. Deleted ’em all.

    • #3
  4. Full Size Tabby Member
    Full Size Tabby
    @FullSizeTabby

    OldPhil (View Comment):

    I took my car in to the dealer last week for the annual state inspection (no other work). It took 15 minutes.

    I’ve received five emails asking me to complete a “2-minute” survey. Deleted ’em all.

    I recently replenished my toll road transponder account by clicking a couple of boxes to charge the credit card on file.  The toll road agency has bugged me several times for a customer satisfaction survey. I can’t imagine how I can provide useful feedback for such a simple and brief online transaction. 

    • #4
  5. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    CarolJoy, Not So Easy To Kill (View Comment):

    I’m sure many people here will chime in with stories to match yours.

    There have been so many times recently that I wished computer and digital technology had never advanced beyond whatever it was in 2005 or so.

    But don’t worry too much, Front Seat Cat. Soon everything Google does will be by AI, so an even Braver Newer World can be expected!

    Someday, the surveys you get from an AI can be “filled in” by another AI!

    • #5
  6. James Lileks Contributor
    James Lileks
    @jameslileks

    I like to give good reviews to customer-service phone reps who have a bright attitude and a diligent approach to solving the problem. There was some above-and-beyond guys at BestBuy I gave 10 stars when they really dug into my problems and solved things. 

    OTOH, I give five stars to Uber drivers who really deserve 4 or 3, because I’m suspicious they’ll give me a bad review and I will have trouble getting an Uber in the future.

    • #6
  7. JustmeinAZ Member
    JustmeinAZ
    @JustmeinAZ

    You get the same begging for perfect reviews for any sales or service person who’s employer sends out a review request.  They even beg you not to ignore the request. If I get good service I don’t want to get anyone fired but I hate the obligation of having to do these stupid reviews.

    • #7
  8. Stad Coolidge
    Stad
    @Stad

    James Lileks (View Comment):
    OTOH, I give five stars to Uber drivers who really deserve 4 or 3, because I’m suspicious they’ll give me a bad review and I will have trouble getting an Uber in the future.

    Exactly.  This is why the idea of rating customers is bad . . .

    • #8
  9. cdor Member
    cdor
    @cdor

    Going under the assumption that no one is perfect, why would all of these companies demand five star ratings? It is getting to be a real pain in the butt. Every time I buy something a review is requested. Some of them get very extensive and then, after answering all of the easy questions, they ask you to write an essay. However, if the reviews are real, they can be helpful when buying a new product or service.

    I’m not a tech geek, for sure. I use Express VPN on all of my devices hoping that I can create some sort of privacy protection for myself. Some websites will not accept me until I turn off the VPN. That makes me wonder. Does anyone have more detailed knowledge about VPNs?

    • #9
  10. Al Sparks Coolidge
    Al Sparks
    @AlSparks

    James Lileks (View Comment):

    I like to give good reviews to customer-service phone reps who have a bright attitude and a diligent approach to solving the problem. There was some above-and-beyond guys at BestBuy I gave 10 stars when they really dug into my problems and solved things.

    OTOH, I give five stars to Uber drivers who really deserve 4 or 3, because I’m suspicious they’ll give me a bad review and I will have trouble getting an Uber in the future.

    I read an article a day or two ago (WSJ I think) where they discussed the issue of inflated ratings.  Anything less than 5 stars is considered bad.  Like academia, there’s no longer a “gentleman’s C”.  The grade of “C” used to be considered a mark of proficiency, with an “A” a mark of genius.

    Anyway one interviewee mentioned that he didn’t give Uber drivers bad ratings because he was afraid he’d get rated badly by the driver.

    Both groups are holding each other hostage.

    • #10
  11. EJHill Podcaster
    EJHill
    @EJHill

    James Lileks: I like to give good reviews to customer-service phone reps…

    To quote a friend of mine… “Would it kill ya to give us five stars?!?!”

    • #11
  12. BDB Inactive
    BDB
    @BDB

    Front Seat Cat: Ma Bell was broken up for less than that so why do we allow a few companies like Google/ Alphabet, META, Twitter, Instagram, and others to hold so much power over news, personal information, and censorship like a wretched Tower of Babel that can grant or take away freedom?

    Because the tech companies can do what the government can not.  So the government has them do it on the government’s behalf.  It requires massive cross-sector, cross-industry data domains to ensure that the “anonymized” data can be readily de-anonymized, so massive tech companies are allowed to lever monopoly power in one domain (OS, phones, search+maps, shopping+shipping) to exert power across other domains.  Microsoft was saved from break-up in the 1990s because they allegedly “couldn’t” take IE out of Windows (which was horsepoop), and the rest of the industry took note.  Build everything together in a confused and unaccountable mess, and you will never be ejected from an industry or sector.

    Each of the massive tech companies has a monopoly on something, and (I say) they all agree to gently overlap in areas where another has a monopoly.  This way each of them can claim not to have a monopoly!

    Why does the government not shut down this sort of collusion and racketeering?

    Hahaha… it’s the government that’s doing it.  The Federal government can literally no longer function without these tech giants.  They host the overwhelming majority of all government data and processes.  It’s a machine that generates profits for the companies and power for the government.

    This racket will never be brought down.

    • #12
  13. BDB Inactive
    BDB
    @BDB

    … and the review-mania is just another way to tie your identity to your data.  That’s not the sole justification, but that’s *why* it is so important.  The hysteria about reviews is to drive reviewing behavior throughout the system.  Not because the reviews are so important, but because the action of reviewing answers the question “Who just paid cash for a pack of smokes?”  Your insurance companies would like to know.

    I don’t use Uber or any of that.  I hate using Google Maps but I do.  I try to do my research at home, then remember a couple of key points, like we used to do in the old days.

    • #13
  14. Front Seat Cat Member
    Front Seat Cat
    @FrontSeatCat

    Full Size Tabby (View Comment):

    OldPhil (View Comment):

    I took my car in to the dealer last week for the annual state inspection (no other work). It took 15 minutes.

    I’ve received five emails asking me to complete a “2-minute” survey. Deleted ’em all.

    I recently replenished my toll road transponder account by clicking a couple of boxes to charge the credit card on file. The toll road agency has bugged me several times for a customer satisfaction survey. I can’t imagine how I can provide useful feedback for such a simple and brief online transaction.

    Yes – I wonder what is going on with the very persistent pushing to answer a survey after everything………

    • #14
  15. Front Seat Cat Member
    Front Seat Cat
    @FrontSeatCat

    cdor (View Comment):

    Going under the assumption that no one is perfect, why would all of these companies demand five star ratings? It is getting to be a real pain in the butt. Every time I buy something a review is requested. Some of them get very extensive and then, after answering all of the easy questions, they ask you to write an essay. However, if the reviews are real, they can be helpful when buying a new product or service.

    I’m not a tech geek, for sure. I use Express VPN on all of my devices hoping that I can create some sort of privacy protection for myself. Some websites will not accept me until I turn off the VPN. That makes me wonder. Does anyone have more detailed knowledge about VPNs?

    I had the same experience where if i agree to a simple survey it gets more detailed as I go. I have even had a few places ask me to do the same survey more than once…. I am wondering if all this is going back to some sort of database that will rate a company’s ESG and it will affect their ability to do business, or get a loan or lower their visibility on line.

    May I mention another odd recent experience? I was in CVS and bought something. The clerk rang me up and another was getting ready to take his shift. He asked the first clerk if he completed the profiling button?  I asked what that was?  Apparently they have to make sure somehow that they did not racially or somehow profile the person they rang up?! I said are you serious??  He flipped his hand as if to say whatever…..He said they have to take regular training and everything is monitored – I kid you not.

    I didn’t want to be too nosy, so I left, but I am wondering if he somehow recorded my gender, age and skin color – how else would it work?

    • #15
  16. Front Seat Cat Member
    Front Seat Cat
    @FrontSeatCat

    BDB (View Comment):

    Front Seat Cat: Ma Bell was broken up for less than that so why do we allow a few companies like Google/ Alphabet, META, Twitter, Instagram, and others to hold so much power over news, personal information, and censorship like a wretched Tower of Babel that can grant or take away freedom?

    Because the tech companies can do what the government can not. So the government has them do it on the government’s behalf. It requires massive cross-sector, cross-industry data domains to ensure that the “anonymized” data can be readily de-anonymized, so massive tech companies are allowed to leverage monopoly power in one domain (OS, phones, search+maps, shopping+shipping) to exert power across other domains. Microsoft was saved from break-up in the 1990s because they “couldn’t” take IE out of Windows (which was horsepoop), and the rest of the inductry took note. Build everthing together in a confsed and unaccountale mess, and you will never bo ejected from an industry or sector.

    Each of the massive tech companies has a monopoly on something, and they all agree to gently overlap in areas where another has a monopoly. This way each of them can claim not to have a monopoly!

    Why does the government not shut down this sort of collusion and racketeering?

    Hahaha… it’s the government that’s doing it. The Federal government can literally no longer function without these tech giants. They host the overwhelming majority of all government data and processes. It’s a machine that generates profits for the companies and power for the government.

    This racket will never be brought down.

    There’s a lot of wisdom in what you are saying here……

    • #16
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