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I'm concerned that a lack of understanding and fear will limit the benefits we get from technology. I don't think that calling for regulation and making this illegal is the appropriate next step.

They explicitly say:

> We want to be clear about the intent of the call so businesses understand the context.

You note:

> laws against what they're doing needs to be passed.

What makes you say that robots making phone calls should be illegal? This seems an odd position to have. Do you also believe that it should be illegal for robots to clean floors? Or for your machine learning spam filter to process and filter your emails?

If I sound a little frustrated, I am. I'm scared that the future where technology allows us to do more with less will be blunted due to calls for making robot tasks illegal. I'd love if you'd help me understand what makes you take your position - I'm sure it's logical, and it's just a matter of me being able to understand your perspective. Can you help me understand?



Yeah and I had your view before the last 2 years and the 2016 election. All we've seen is this kind of technology will be abused to the gills to create fake propaganda, robocalls, and phishing scams.

I too want to absolutely, without a doubt, regulate or slow this stuff down until we can better understand how it can be abused. And WHEN it is abused, we have ways to address it and aren't constantly playing catchup to how people are badly using these things.


I am far more afraid of technology we can't control that works for an ad company, not for us, than moving technology forward a little bit slower.

We need to be able to trust our communication, and we're moving away from that at light speed. Where a company whose entire business model is to subtly influence you in the directions profitable to them is the middleman in all of our communications.

I am terrified of this. I am not sure I've ever seen a presentation that terrified me more that wasn't out of a science fiction movie.


> I am far more afraid of technology we can't control that works for an ad company, not for us, than moving technology forward a little bit slower.

I'm not sure what you're arguing for - that you wish companies weren't driving technological advancement? That Google specifically shouldn't?

Also, it's very, very conceivable that there are people for whom this technology DOES work for. The mute, for example. I'm not sure it's appropriate to speak for all of "us".


It's tough here because Google is both an ad company and a product company (funded through ads).

Would you have the same fears if Apple were able to (through some ridiculous miracle) achieve the same thing?


"(through some ridiculous miracle)" -> best part of your comment :-D


You're not alone. This is deeply creepy, wrapped in candy floss.




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