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|Devolo

|Devolo switches of servers and removes their app from stores for their "Home Control" system, thus severely reducing the functionality of their devices (apparently Z-Wave-based).

|Devolo switches off servers and removes their app from stores for their "Home Control" system, thus severely reducing the functionality of their devices (apparently Z-Wave-based).

|<ref>{{Cite web |title= |url=https://www.golem.de/news/weiterbetrieb-verursacht-weitere-kosten-devolo-macht-smart-home-system-zum-grossteil-unbrauchbar-2508-199409.html |website=Golem [German]}}</ref>

|-

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|<ref>{{Cite web |last=GueraGoesGreen |title=Instagram allows you to sign up without a phone number... only to lock your account until you give them one. |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/assholedesign/comments/oc75bs/instagram_allows_you_to_sign_up_without_a_phone/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250830144910/https://old.reddit.com/r/assholedesign/comments/oc75bs/instagram_allows_you_to_sign_up_without_a_phone/ |archive-date=2025-08-30 |access-date=2025-08-30 |website=Reddit}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=randomgunhunter |title=I verified my email, why is discord asking for my phone number? am i not human enough? |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/discordapp/comments/6xf1kl/i_verified_my_email_why_is_discord_asking_for_my/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/20250830000000/https://old.reddit.com/r/discordapp/comments/6xf1kl/i_verified_my_email_why_is_discord_asking_for_my/ |archive-date=2025-08-30 |access-date=2025-08-30 |website=Reddit}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=thelma1907 |title=So to have a discord account, I absolutely need to give them my phone number? |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/discordapp/comments/1gwg9q4/so_to_have_a_discord_account_i_absolutely_need_to/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/20250830000000/https://old.reddit.com/r/discordapp/comments/1gwg9q4/so_to_have_a_discord_account_i_absolutely_need_to/ |archive-date=2025-08-30 |access-date=2025-08-30 |website=Reddit}}</ref>

|-

|Palantir

|[[Palantir]]

|Uses sensitive information to profile individuals on how likely they are to cause disturbance by government agencies. Notable examples include ICE and several city police forces as part of a "Predictive policing" program.

|<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mitrovic |first=Zoran |date=2025-06-02 |title=Palantir Controversies: A Deep Dive into Privacy, Surveillance, and Ethical Concerns |url=https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/palantir-controversies-deep-dive-privacy-surveillance-mitrovic-pwihf |url-status=live |access-date=2025-08-01 |website=LinkedIn}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Gates |first=Edward |date=2023-04-29 |title=Predictive Policing in LA: LAPD Employs Palantir for Surveillance |url=https://www.ajs.org/predictive-policing-in-la-lapd-employs-palantir-for-surveillance/ |access-date=2025-08-01 |website=American Judicial System}}</ref>

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|Chinese surveillance camera manufacturer complicit in Uighur genocide which used to advertise recognition of praying and ramadan fasting among its selling points. Similarly to [[Flock License Plate Readers|Flock]], they are in use world wide and likely feed directly into the Chinese government's surveillance infrastructure and could conceivably be used to find dissidents world-wide. Recently, [https://netzpolitik.org/2025/hikvision-hersteller-der-hamburger-ki-ueberwachungskameras-ist-fuer-menschenrechtsverletzungen-bekannt/ the city of Hamburg has installed them] ([https://netzpolitik-org.translate.goog/2025/hikvision-hersteller-der-hamburger-ki-ueberwachungskameras-ist-fuer-menschenrechtsverletzungen-bekannt/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de&_x_tr_pto=wapp Google Translate Version in English]).

|

|-

|Chromecast (Google)

|Chromecast has transitioned from a standalone product to one that requires the Google Home app for setup and control. This change prevents customers who either don't own a smartphone or prefer not to use the app from accessing their Chromecast devices. As a result, certain televisions—such as the Caixon EC43S1UA, which relied on built-in Chromecast functionality—can no longer be used as intended. This effectively removes a key feature from a product that was already purchased, diminishing its value or rendering it unusable altogether.

|

|-

|[[Apple]]

|$17 000 Apple Watch 18 karat gold edition out of support only 8 years after its introduction (not end of sale!). This means no software support, and, crucially, no repair or replacement parts. If the battery dies, the watch is but a paperweight.

|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Apple will no longer fix the $17,000 gold Apple Watch |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/2/23900158/apple-watch-edition-gold-2015-obsolete-unsupported-beyonce |website=The Verge}}</ref>

|-

|[[Wireless Power Consortium]]

|After monopolizing wireless charging market Qi turned from an open standard into a proprietary.

Version 1.3 introduced "secure authentication between the transmitter and the receiver", i.e. in order to operate every charger must include an expensive proprietary chip licensed only to certified members. This results in increased development and manufacturing costs directly passed onto consumer. Version 2.2, unlike previous versions, "is available for WPC Members only".

|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Qi Certification Is Changing and We've Got You Covered |url=https://www.nxp.com/company/about-nxp/smarter-world-blog/BL-QI-CERTIFICATION-IS-CHANGING| website=NXP Semiconductors}}</ref>

<ref>{{Cite web |title=Download the Qi Specifications |url=https://www.wirelesspowerconsortium.com/knowledge-base/specifications/download-the-qi-specifications/| website=Wireless Power Consortium}}</ref>

|-

|[[Meta]]/[[WhatsApp]]

|In a new lawsuit, an ex-engineer alleges that 1500 engineers had unrestricted access to WhatsApp user data and that the company "failed to remedy the hacking and takeover of more than 100,000 accounts each day, ignoring his pleas and proposed fixes and choosing instead to prioritize user growth". (ongoing)

|[https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/sep/08/meta-user-data-lawsuit-whatsapp]

|-

|Apple

|Rendering older devices unusable by:

*making it impossible to update the browser independently

*removing old compatible versions of apps from the app store

*disallowing manual installation of apps (sideloading)

*disallowing alternative app stores

*preventing installation of alternate operating systems (bootloader unlocking)

*switching off backend support (YouTube app on original iPhone/iPod Touch)

*not keeping app store usable on old devices

This converts technically perfectly functional devices into e-waste. An iPad Air with Linux or Android would likely still be perfectly usable for a lot of tasks for example.

|<ref>{{Cite web |title= |url=https://ipadlinux.org/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title= |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/iPodTouch/comments/14yzwe0/itunes_store_wont_connect/}}</ref>

|-

|EcoVac

|Vacuum cleaner robots produced by company 'EcoVac' were found vulnerable to hacking over bluetooth allowing for remote control and access to camera feed. Security researcher Dennis Giese notified the company in December of 2023. In August of 2024, the issue was described by the company as "extremely rare in typical user environments and require specialized hacking tools and physical access to the device."

|<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fell |first=Julian |date=2024-10-04 |title=We hacked a robot vacuum — and could watch live through its camera - ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-04/robot-vacuum-hacked-photos-camera-audio/104414020 |url-status=live |access-date=2025-09-10 |website=ABC News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Franceschi-Bicchierai |first=Lorenzo |date=2024-08-09 |title=Ecovacs home robots can be hacked to spy on their owners, researchers say {{!}} TechCrunch |url=https://techcrunch.com/2024/08/09/ecovacs-home-robots-can-be-hacked-to-spy-on-their-owners-researchers-say/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Franceschi-Bicchierai |first=Lorenzo |date=2024-08-15 |title=Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai on X: "Finally, Ecovacs responds to the researchers' findings, saying it won't fix the bugs. |url=https://x.com/lorenzofb/status/1823774980460388675}}</ref>

|}

==See Also==

@@ Line 172: / Line 172: @@
 |-
 |Devolo
-|Devolo switches of servers and removes their app from stores for their "Home Control" system, thus severely reducing the functionality of their devices (apparently Z-Wave-based).
+|Devolo switches off servers and removes their app from stores for their "Home Control" system, thus severely reducing the functionality of their devices (apparently Z-Wave-based).
 |<ref>{{Cite web |title= |url=https://www.golem.de/news/weiterbetrieb-verursacht-weitere-kosten-devolo-macht-smart-home-system-zum-grossteil-unbrauchbar-2508-199409.html |website=Golem [German]}}</ref>
 |-
@@ Line 215: / Line 215: @@
 |<ref>{{Cite web |last=GueraGoesGreen |title=Instagram allows you to sign up without a phone number... only to lock your account until you give them one. |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/assholedesign/comments/oc75bs/instagram_allows_you_to_sign_up_without_a_phone/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250830144910/https://old.reddit.com/r/assholedesign/comments/oc75bs/instagram_allows_you_to_sign_up_without_a_phone/ |archive-date=2025-08-30 |access-date=2025-08-30 |website=Reddit}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=randomgunhunter |title=I verified my email, why is discord asking for my phone number? am i not human enough? |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/discordapp/comments/6xf1kl/i_verified_my_email_why_is_discord_asking_for_my/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/20250830000000/https://old.reddit.com/r/discordapp/comments/6xf1kl/i_verified_my_email_why_is_discord_asking_for_my/ |archive-date=2025-08-30 |access-date=2025-08-30 |website=Reddit}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=thelma1907 |title=So to have a discord account, I absolutely need to give them my phone number? |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/discordapp/comments/1gwg9q4/so_to_have_a_discord_account_i_absolutely_need_to/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/20250830000000/https://old.reddit.com/r/discordapp/comments/1gwg9q4/so_to_have_a_discord_account_i_absolutely_need_to/ |archive-date=2025-08-30 |access-date=2025-08-30 |website=Reddit}}</ref>
 |-
-|Palantir
+|[[Palantir]]
 |Uses sensitive information to profile individuals on how likely they are to cause disturbance by government agencies. Notable examples include ICE and several city police forces as part of a "Predictive policing" program.
 |<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mitrovic |first=Zoran |date=2025-06-02 |title=Palantir Controversies: A Deep Dive into Privacy, Surveillance, and Ethical Concerns |url=https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/palantir-controversies-deep-dive-privacy-surveillance-mitrovic-pwihf |url-status=live |access-date=2025-08-01 |website=LinkedIn}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Gates |first=Edward |date=2023-04-29 |title=Predictive Policing in LA: LAPD Employs Palantir for Surveillance |url=https://www.ajs.org/predictive-policing-in-la-lapd-employs-palantir-for-surveillance/ |access-date=2025-08-01 |website=American Judicial System}}</ref>
@@ Line 238: / Line 238: @@
 |Chinese surveillance camera manufacturer complicit in Uighur genocide which used to advertise recognition of praying and ramadan fasting among its selling points. Similarly to [[Flock License Plate Readers|Flock]], they are in use world wide and likely feed directly into the Chinese government's surveillance infrastructure and could conceivably be used to find dissidents world-wide. Recently, [https://netzpolitik.org/2025/hikvision-hersteller-der-hamburger-ki-ueberwachungskameras-ist-fuer-menschenrechtsverletzungen-bekannt/ the city of Hamburg has installed them] ([https://netzpolitik-org.translate.goog/2025/hikvision-hersteller-der-hamburger-ki-ueberwachungskameras-ist-fuer-menschenrechtsverletzungen-bekannt/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de&_x_tr_pto=wapp Google Translate Version in English]).
 |
+|-
+|Chromecast (Google)
+|Chromecast has transitioned from a standalone product to one that requires the Google Home app for setup and control. This change prevents customers who either don't own a smartphone or prefer not to use the app from accessing their Chromecast devices. As a result, certain televisions—such as the Caixon EC43S1UA, which relied on built-in Chromecast functionality—can no longer be used as intended. This effectively removes a key feature from a product that was already purchased, diminishing its value or rendering it unusable altogether.
+|
+|-
+|[[Apple]]
+|$17 000 Apple Watch 18 karat gold edition out of support only 8 years after its introduction (not end of sale!). This means no software support, and, crucially, no repair or replacement parts. If the battery dies, the watch is but a paperweight.
+|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Apple will no longer fix the $17,000 gold Apple Watch |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/2/23900158/apple-watch-edition-gold-2015-obsolete-unsupported-beyonce |website=The Verge}}</ref>
+|-
+|[[Wireless Power Consortium]]
+|After monopolizing wireless charging market Qi turned from an open standard into a proprietary.
+Version 1.3 introduced "secure authentication between the transmitter and the receiver", i.e. in order to operate every charger must include an expensive proprietary chip licensed only to certified members. This results in increased development and manufacturing costs directly passed onto consumer. Version 2.2, unlike previous versions, "is available for WPC Members only".
+|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Qi Certification Is Changing and We've Got You Covered |url=https://www.nxp.com/company/about-nxp/smarter-world-blog/BL-QI-CERTIFICATION-IS-CHANGING| website=NXP Semiconductors}}</ref>
+<ref>{{Cite web |title=Download the Qi Specifications |url=https://www.wirelesspowerconsortium.com/knowledge-base/specifications/download-the-qi-specifications/| website=Wireless Power Consortium}}</ref>
+|-
+|[[Meta]]/[[WhatsApp]]
+|In a new lawsuit, an ex-engineer alleges that 1500 engineers had unrestricted access to WhatsApp user data and that the company "failed to remedy the hacking and takeover of more than 100,000 accounts each day, ignoring his pleas and proposed fixes and choosing instead to prioritize user growth". (ongoing)
+|[https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/sep/08/meta-user-data-lawsuit-whatsapp]
+|-
+|Apple
+|Rendering older devices unusable by:
+*making it impossible to update the browser independently
+*removing old compatible versions of apps from the app store
+*disallowing manual installation of apps (sideloading)
+*disallowing alternative app stores
+*preventing installation of alternate operating systems (bootloader unlocking)
+*switching off backend support (YouTube app on original iPhone/iPod Touch)
+*not keeping app store usable on old devices
+This converts technically perfectly functional devices into e-waste. An iPad Air with Linux or Android would likely still be perfectly usable for a lot of tasks for example.
+|<ref>{{Cite web |title= |url=https://ipadlinux.org/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title= |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/iPodTouch/comments/14yzwe0/itunes_store_wont_connect/}}</ref>
+|-
+|EcoVac
+|Vacuum cleaner robots produced by company 'EcoVac' were found vulnerable to hacking over bluetooth allowing for remote control and access to camera feed. Security researcher Dennis Giese notified the company in December of 2023. In August of 2024, the issue was described by the company as "extremely rare in typical user environments and require specialized hacking tools and physical access to the device."
+|<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fell |first=Julian |date=2024-10-04 |title=We hacked a robot vacuum — and could watch live through its camera - ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-04/robot-vacuum-hacked-photos-camera-audio/104414020 |url-status=live |access-date=2025-09-10 |website=ABC News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Franceschi-Bicchierai |first=Lorenzo |date=2024-08-09 |title=Ecovacs home robots can be hacked to spy on their owners, researchers say {{!}} TechCrunch |url=https://techcrunch.com/2024/08/09/ecovacs-home-robots-can-be-hacked-to-spy-on-their-owners-researchers-say/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Franceschi-Bicchierai |first=Lorenzo |date=2024-08-15 |title=Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai on X: "Finally, Ecovacs responds to the researchers' findings, saying it won't fix the bugs. |url=https://x.com/lorenzofb/status/1823774980460388675}}</ref>
 |}
 ==See Also==