But maybe this microwave thing isn't really all that funny. According to what I've been able to glean on my laptop, all sorts of devices will, or soon will be, spying on me. Including my laptop.
As a story posted just this week by Popular Mechanics headlined, “A Microwave Can’t Spy on You — But Plenty of Other Devices Can.” Among other things, the story mentioned as digital big brothers were televisions, refrigerators, baby monitors, headphones, and cellphone features such as OK Google and “Hey, Siri.”
“We are all constantly surrounded by stuff that can spy on us,” it warned. “You are surrounded by digital eyes and ears.”
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The story also reported there’s a new search engine that enables people to browse through Internet-connected devices. As examples, it displayed surreptitious shots of a woman cleaning her living room and some people drinking at a bar in Hungary. Television programming may not be all that great these days, but it’s still got to be more interesting than watching people at a bar in Hungary.
A link in the story mentioned something about Barbie dolls being hacked, but when I clicked on it, nothing came up. Which leads me to believe that someone at the CIA didn't want me to have that information. So I'm not sure if Barbie can't be hacked, but I'm going to be careful what I say around her, just in case.
It’s not quite clear to me if my appliances and other devices are transmitting my image, my conversations or both. But the bigger question is, who’s watching or listening?
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According to the latest estimates I could find, there are 114.2 million television sets alone in this country. Does that means there are 114.2 million people in a building somewhere watching other people watching television? And, if so, how do they all find parking spaces when they get to work?
Scoff and snicker if you will. But if the FBI comes pounding on your door because of something your microwave saw or overheard, don't say you weren't warned.
So maybe it’s time to take Kellyanne seriously.
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