Anyone know what this is.

[Cfabar1]

I don't mind the microphone necessarily though it is kind of weird, but it's especially creepy that they would put a camera in the rooms...

That is why I don't stay in AirBnB/VRBO, etc.If hotels start doing this, idk.... just not too pleased about this...

We will be unplugging ours if we see them. They were not in BC or BW this Summer, nor have they made their way to VB...

I hope they continue to be able to be unplugged....

 

[DonMacGregor]

Putting it in the closet under a blanket prevents the device from plugging itself back in.

Pro tip!

 

[BeachClub2014]

Never fear the cameras that you can see. It's the cameras they've placed in the smoke detectors and motion sensors that will getcha.

 

[waynesburg60]

I've used it to ask for items for the room, like a pillow. I was impressed with the quick response from the cast members, I liked not calling the desk.

 

[dcfromva]

You unplugged it. Problem solved!

I wondered if there was any kind of battery back up.

 

[Ms.Minnie]

If people are offering up that the first thing they do is unplug a device, then put it under a blanket in a closet, then it's more than just "not a necessity".

First, I have not "already" done this since these are new to the rooms since the last time we were there, but I will if the next time I check-in I see one of these devises. I'm not sure if you are saying you have a problem with how I feel about this devise so I won't comment further on your comment about what I said....

Putting it in the closet under a blanket prevents the device from plugging itself back in.

I wondered if there was any kind of battery back up.

Good question and exactly why I'm putting in the closet buried in the extra bedding. Just in case it still works after unplugging... Trying my best to stay safe and not spied on.

I know others here don't have a problem with this new devise and that if fine with me. If you want it in your room, go for it. Different strokes....

 

[TikiRob]

Exactly true.

I was in a room where friends were watching the masked singer (I had no active engagement with prior or since) and coincidently the next few weeks advertisements for the masked singer appeared.

As consumers we are delivered thousands of advertisements each day. The Masked Singer advertisements were probably common prior to this event, but they blended into the "noise" because it wasn't on your mind (or subconscious). When people think their phones are "listening" it is likely they are just more cognizant of that particular product/service ad being delivered because of the recent exposure that their conscious mind was aware of. This is the same phenomenon as buying a new car and then seeing it everywhere.

 

[Mle8308]

As consumers we are delivered thousands of advertisements each day. The Masked Singer advertisements were probably common prior to this event, but they blended into the "noise" because it wasn't on your mind (or subconscious). When people think their phones are "listening" it is likely they are just more cognizant of that particular product/service ad being delivered because of the recent exposure that their conscious mind was aware of. This is the same phenomenon as buying a new car and then seeing it everywhere.

Yes and no. I work in the IT industry, and we were discussing online/device privacy - more lack of. So out of that conversation I decided to do an experiment and on purpose talked about wanting to take a vacation in Grenada (I do not want to go there, had not seen or heard anything about Grenada - why I chose the location, have never mentioned it, or Googled anything nearly close to Grenada). I kept my phone next to me. Well guess what ads started showing up? Ones for vacation packages to Grenada. I'm not paranoid and really don't care if my devices are listening because I'm pretty boring and I don't think any actual human is on the other end listening. But, there is some type of recognition there.

 

[Genie+]

As consumers we are delivered thousands of advertisements each day. The Masked Singer advertisements were probably common prior to this event, but they blended into the "noise" because it wasn't on your mind (or subconscious). When people think their phones are "listening" it is likely they are just more cognizant of that particular product/service ad being delivered because of the recent exposure that their conscious mind was aware of. This is the same phenomenon as buying a new car and then seeing it everywhere.

I think it goes beyond this.

In the beginning I noticed weird coincidences where one of us in our household would look up something very specific then the rest of us start getting related ads. Sometimes the ads would come incessantly for months.

I’ve seen ads start showing relating to very specific things discussed in forum chats, where I wasn’t even the one using the specific terms. Very very specific things and all of a sudden ads coming in for exactly that topic.

When out of the blue I started hanging out once a week at my sister-in-law’s house, my ads began focusing on wedding, mother-of-bride stuff, and Safari travel. I had looked none of this stuff up. That household had. Somehow they linked our connection and it affected my ad algorithm.

The ads don’t bother me one bit. I doubt resources are being wasted for anything personal. They just want to put me in tailored demographics to target ads and get better returns. They can charge more for ads with highest hit ratio.

Social media on the other hand… I don’t want my life to be an open book and am cautious there. I use my home Alexa for generic things. Do not give most apps free rein on any device. Do not link any accounts - I actually go out of my way often to avoid this. Probably doesn’t matter much but I personally do not like it. DH does. He likes everything being recorded and connected lol (even if 9,000 prying eyes want to look at it) because often it has some use to him.

 

[pineapplepalms]

Our kids had a lot of fun playing with it on our recent trip. They would say “I love you” to it to trigger the song and dance around. They would say “let’s go on an adventure” and it would play games. Other than that, we didn’t really use it other than to ask about the weather, which is probably the most common thing we use ours for at home.

 

[TikiRob]

I think it goes beyond this.

In the beginning I noticed weird coincidences where one of us in our household would look up something very specific then the rest of us start getting related ads. Sometimes the ads would come incessantly for months.

I’ve seen ads start showing relating to very specific things discussed in forum chats, where I wasn’t even the one using the specific terms. Very very specific things and all of a sudden ads coming in for exactly that topic.

When out of the blue I started hanging out once a week at my sister-in-law’s house, my ads began focusing on wedding, mother-of-bride stuff, and Safari travel. I had looked none of this stuff up. That household had. Somehow they linked our connection and it affected my ad algorithm.

The ads don’t bother me one bit. I doubt resources are being wasted for anything personal. They just want to put me in tailored demographics to target ads and get better returns. They can charge more for ads with highest hit ratio.

Social media on the other hand… I don’t want my life to be an open book and am cautious there. I use my home Alexa for generic things. Do not give most apps free rein on any device. Do not link any accounts - I actually go out of my way often to avoid this. Probably doesn’t matter much but I personally do not like it. DH does. He likes everything being recorded and connected lol (even if 9,000 prying eyes want to look at it) because often it has some use to him.

Yes, this is how retargeting ads work and this is common place.

Yes and no. I work in the IT industry, and we were discussing online/device privacy - more lack of. So out of that conversation I decided to do an experiment and on purpose talked about wanting to take a vacation in Grenada (I do not want to go there, had not seen or heard anything about Grenada - why I chose the location, have never mentioned it, or Googled anything nearly close to Grenada). I kept my phone next to me. Well guess what ads started showing up? Ones for vacation packages to Grenada. I'm not paranoid and really don't care if my devices are listening because I'm pretty boring and I don't think any actual human is on the other end listening. But, there is some type of recognition there.

As someone who buys digital advertising, I wish there was an option for “what people say” but I have yet to see that from any digital ad seller, including Google and Meta. Now I wouldn’t put it past Musk and X!

 

[Genie+]

Yes, this is how retargeting ads work and this is common place.

My apologies. From your earlier post I mistook it to mean it’s the ‘new car’ coincidence. After re-reading I see you were responding specifically to ‘listening’.

 

[bwang123]

Good question and exactly why I'm putting in the closet buried in the extra bedding. Just in case it still works after unplugging... Trying my best to stay safe and not spied on.

there are no batteries and the device doesn't plug itself back in. no need to smother the poor thing. your phone and laptop have more capabilities to spy on you then this one.

 

[Ms.Minnie]

there are no batteries and the device doesn't plug itself back in. no need to smother the poor thing. your phone and laptop have more capabilities to spy on you then this one.

Thanks for the info but still getting buried...

 

[gisele2]

We’ve stayed in several DVC villas with this device in them. I just unplugged it first thing and didn’t think about it the rest of the stay. Seems like a money waste.

I agree with you!

 

[eandt]

My wife and I were staying at Copper Creek for Christmas. When we checked into the room we noticed this on the desk next to the bed.
What is it?
I ended up turning it off and laying it face down on the counter because it looked like it had a camera in it.

View attachment 820335

Wise to shut it off …. These devices definitely are listening and keep a record of what it’s asked … kids might think it’s cute and fun but beware

 

[snowwite]

My husband is obsessed with Alexa. We use it for turning lights on and off as well as an alarm and to look things up. Occasionally it does something weird like when it randomly began playing Christmas tunes at 3 am last July. We use it to keep raccoons out from under the house. It controls a light, camera and talk radio underneath. Having a camera in a rental is never comfortable. We rented a home in Canada and the owner had them all over. VRBO said they are not allowed so we covered every one of them with socks Which had been left in a basket by the door to encourage folks to remove shoes. We forgot to take them down. I wonder what the next renter thought of all the socks hanging from the ceiling!

 

[Judique]

I don't mind the microphone necessarily though it is kind of weird, but it's especially creepy that they would put a camera in the rooms...

That is why I don't stay in AirBnB/VRBO, etc.If hotels start doing this, idk.... just not too pleased about this...

We will be unplugging ours if we see them. They were not in BC or BW this Summer, nor have they made their way to VB...

I hope they continue to be able to be unplugged....

Hey Disney was in my BWV studio first week in December 2023.

 

[DisTravels]

As consumers we are delivered thousands of advertisements each day. The Masked Singer advertisements were probably common prior to this event, but they blended into the "noise" because it wasn't on your mind (or subconscious). When people think their phones are "listening" it is likely they are just more cognizant of that particular product/service ad being delivered because of the recent exposure that their conscious mind was aware of. This is the same phenomenon as buying a new car and then seeing it everywhere.

Yes and no. I work in the IT industry, and we were discussing online/device privacy - more lack of. So out of that conversation I decided to do an experiment and on purpose talked about wanting to take a vacation in Grenada (I do not want to go there, had not seen or heard anything about Grenada - why I chose the location, have never mentioned it, or Googled anything nearly close to Grenada). I kept my phone next to me. Well guess what ads started showing up? Ones for vacation packages to Grenada. I'm not paranoid and really don't care if my devices are listening because I'm pretty boring and I don't think any actual human is on the other end listening. But, there is some type of recognition there.

@TikiRob I don't watch much television, so TV shows are rarely in my advertising thread so I am pretty confident that little to no Masked Singer was there previously.

@Mle8308 Not surprised, this is consistent with my experiences.