101
PSA: Your Headphones May Be Spying on You and Selling Your Data Without You Knowing
(www.headphonesty.com)
I am pretty sure mine are not doing that. Glory to 3.5mm!
this post was submitted on 02 Feb 2025
101 points (95.5% liked)
Privacy
544 readers
334 users here now
Protect your privacy in the digital world
Welcome! This is a community for all those who are interested in protecting their privacy.
Rules
~PS: Don't be a smartass and try to game the system, we'll know if you're breaking the rules when we see it!~
- Be nice, civil and no bigotry/prejudice
- No tankies/alt-right fascists. The former can be tolerated but the latter are banned
- Stay on topic
- Don't promote proprietary software
- No crypto
- No Xitter links (only allowed when can't fact check any other way, use xcancel)
- If you post news exclusive to a country please name it. ~(This isn't a bannable rule, just a recommendation!)~
Related communities
founded 2 months ago
MODERATORS
You fool - it's wearing a wire!
The privacy issues come from the app, not the headphones. Don't use the app and you're fine.
General privacy rules apply: any data you provide will be stored and sold. If you tell an app your height, weight, etc, the company will sell that. That shouldn't be a surprise to anyone.
The only interesting bit here is Bluetooth tracking, meaning people can see a unique identifier by being near a Bluetooth device. This is true for all Bluetooth devices (and honestly any wireless protocol besides point to point wireless), so not unique to headphones. If your phone connects to cell towers, your headphones aren't going to be the ones breaking your cover...
Bluetooth tracking is also bs. Nobody is walking around in pairing mode
I don't know too much about Bluetooth, but my understanding is that the MAC address doesn't change, so if that's ever transmitted, you can be tracked.
Someone will have to log it though, so I don't think that's nearly as interesting as cell towers tracking you nonstop.
PSA: everything is.
News at 11.
Every device you have that has an app is harvesting ypur data to varying extents.
Sony's trick is hiding some configuration options in its app so you have to install it to make changes.
It the app that is phoning home, not the actual device.
Most headphones work fine with just Bluetooth.
I've purchased a few devices in my day that will not work without an app and/or an account. I cry for 5 minutes about what a fucking dystopian future we live in and how I've lost almost all excitement for new tech and then send it back to where it came from.
This.
JBL pods manual even says that you need the app to enable the noise cancelling, but if you tap twice it enables it.
Wired chads just keep winning, in so many ways.
They had to remove the ports to nerf them.
I'm still mad about it personally.
As we should be
Im not, i could buy an DAP that only plays music. Nobidy knows what i listen to. They don't even know aboht the anime folderi.
I have considered looking into an old school style MP3 player myself as well, I really might try and find one, or build one of those open source ones I've read about. Maybe the time is soon. But tbh I'm already carrying so much shit idk where I'd put it, between phone, vape/juice, wallet, and flipper I need all my pockets
There are really good chinese DAPS that do what you want. The one open source one isn't looking too hot atm. I had a fiio x1 for 10 years until the sd card slot broke. Now I got a cheapo hundred dollar hifiwalker that does the same stuff but has preamp out and bluetooth.
Awesome thanks for the info, I'll check it out!
Jesus Christ, is anything safe anymore? I'm about to break out my Discman and start burning CDs.
A couple of years ago, I found my old minidisc player and I've been using that for music. There's a FLOSS burning application made by the minidisc community that lets you burn discs from your browser. I've been enjoying my low tech music listening, knowing it can't be tracked by some algorithm. 💽
Can you link more info on this burning app please? I am interested in getting into MD.
Certainly! The app is located here. You do need a Chromium based browser (Edge, Chrome, or any browser based on the Chromium engine) to run it, though. This is a guide to help you get started with the app. And the site that the guide is on is a wealth of information about minidisc, both its past and present.
Enjoy!
The disc burning software sends musicbrainz IDs to the man
Flimsy ass clickbait article. Wrong and misleading on so many levels
No, they don't and they can't even explode close to or inside my ear due to not being powered by lithium battery.