Eero 'Not Changing a Word' of its Privacy Policy Under Amazon, Discounts Routers by $100 Today Only

[MacRumors]

Mesh Wi-Fi company Eero was acquired by Amazon one month ago, launching speculation by some consumers that the acquisition would allow Amazon access to even more user data. In a new interview with The Verge, Amazon SVP of devices and services Dave Limp claimed that Amazon will "not change anything" about Eero, and that Eero is "not changing a word" of its privacy policy.

Many users raised concerns over Amazon's new ownership of Eero, given that Amazon's existing Alexa devices have some ability to track and listen to user behavior inside their home. At the time of the acquisition, Eero promised one user on Twitter that it does not track customers' internet activity and will not start doing so under Amazon, which Limp doubled down on today.

Specifically, Limp said that the only interaction Amazon plans to have with Eero is to "add resources" and provide "a little bit of advice here and there."

Amazon's Dave Limp: "The company's doing well," Limp said. "Nick and his team are doing well. The roadmap is great, their customer service is great, their engineering is great. We're just going to keep the team intact.

Eero CEO Nick Weaver: "If anything, we're just going to strengthen our commitment to both privacy and security," Weaver told us. "We've got some pretty clear privacy principles that we've used for developing all of our products, that are the really the underpinnings of everything. Those aren't going to change."

In celebration of the acquisition officially closing, Eero routers are available for $100 off today only on Amazon. The Gold Box deal includes three bundles of the mesh Wi-Fi system: 1 Eero and 1 Eero Beacon for $199.00, down from $299.00; 1 Eero and 2 Beacons for $299.00, down from $399.00; and 3 Eeros for $399.00, down from $499.00.

Like other mesh Wi-Fi routers, Eero is a full system that includes a base router and signal-boosting "Beacons" to extend the range of the signal and provide blanket Wi-Fi coverage throughout your home. Smaller living spaces should be good with just one Beacon, but you can add on more for extended coverage. Head to Amazon to check out the sale before it expires later tonight.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Article Link: Eero 'Not Changing a Word' of its Privacy Policy Under Amazon, Discounts Routers by $100 Today Only

 

[Scottsoapbox]

Wait, why does a router need a microphone to listen to user behavior?

EDIT: Nevermind, Mitchel just wrote a confusing sentence with an ambiguous 'company' and incorrect use of a nonrestrictive clause (i.e., you should be able to read the sentence without the phrase in commas and it still make sense)

 

[bbednarz]

I hope this holds true long term. Really like my Eero router.

 

[LogicalApex]

The nice thing about Privacy Policy and Terms of Use updates is that they can happen at anytime. So users have to still be very cautious even when companies make bold claims post acquisition.

 

[Glassed Silver]

Stuff like that means ZERO.

https://mashable.com/2014/05/06/moves-data-sharing-facebook/?europe=true

Glassed Silver:mac

 

[Hermes Monster]

Hoping this finally comes to the U.K. now

 

[Crzyrio]

I never realized how dam expensive these are. WOW

 

[dwsolberg]

Hmmm, this story sounds familiar. Oh yeah, that’s what every single acquiring company says of the smaller company.

Trouble is, there’s no point in acquiring these companies unless you’re going to integrate them, and that will eventually erode the privacy in small, carefully worded changes to the policy.

It won’t be long before they start making changes to “improve service” that also happen to give them more access to how we’re using our devices.

 

[DeepIn2U]

I hope this holds true long term. Really like my Eero router.

Lol after such a HUGE discount = a sucker is born daily!

 

[chucker23n1]

The nice thing about Privacy Policy and Terms of Use updates is that they can happen at anytime. So users have to still be very cautious even when companies make bold claims post acquisition.

Maybe in the US they can, but in the EU, that's a unilateral change of contract. Not only do you have to inform your customers in advance; you also give them a special right to cancel their contract expediently.

 

[Kabeyun]

Amazon SVP of devices and services Dave Limp claimed that Amazon will "not change anything" about Eero, and that Eero is "not changing a word" of its privacy policy yet.

Added for clarity.

 

[jimothyGator]

Incidentally, Best Buy is offering the same discount today.

 

[joshwenke]

Even with the discount, the UniFi APs are still superior in price and performance.

 

[bluespark]

Maybe in the US they can, but in the EU, that's a unilateral change of contract. Not only do you have to inform your customers in advance; you also give them a special right to cancel their contract expediently.

That's true in the U.S. as well. But with click-through agreements (which are not unilateral and are enforceable), those changes still can happen very quickly to the unwary.

 

[bag99001]

If I seem to have a perfectly working Airport extreme - is there any benefit to this type of purchase for me? Will I see any sort of performance improvement on my network?

 

[Sasparilla]

As we saw with Facebook and its purchases (WhatsApp etc.), or Google and its purchases of doorbells and cameras there isn't any point in buying up things like this unless you're going to go for surveillance of the users information - cause that's where the money is. And Amazon is all about harvesting user information.

So take this statement by the old Eero management for what its worth - true for now, but may not be tomorrow etc. and certainly not a few years down the road after Amazon has forced its plans on the company, which is sad.

If I seem to have a perfectly working Airport extreme - is there any benefit to this type of purchase for me? Will I see any sort of performance improvement on my network?

Only if you have dead spots or performance issues with your existing extreme (e.g. can't stream iTunes movies successfully) in your location or your not getting wifi security updates (but I think the extreme still got one last year). Then a group of these "mesh" routers supposedly can help cover the dead spots after you place them correctly. It's a bummer about Eero...have to assume it'll just be like Google Wifi's in a couple of years as far as user monitoring and harvesting.

 

[chucker23n1]

That's true in the U.S. as well. But with click-through agreements (which are not unilateral and are enforceable), those changes still can happen very quickly to the unwary.

Yeah, fair enough. And with ToS in particular, odds are you don’t read them. We really need to do more to highlight companies who actually tell you what’s changed.

 

[az431]

I hope this holds true long term. Really like my Eero router.

It won’t. His promise is meaningless because Amazon could change the policy at any time citing changed circumstances, especially two years from now when most of his original team is gone and he leaves while thanking amazon for the great opportunity.

 

[acgmph]

Maybe in the US they can, but in the EU, that's a unilateral change of contract. Not only do you have to inform your customers in advance; you also give them a special right to cancel their contract expediently.

Which means you will have to stop using their product ("special right to cancel"). As this is not a subscription service, it's entirely your loss, not theirs.

 

[chucker23n1]

Which means you will have to stop using their product ("special right to cancel"). As this is not a subscription service, it's entirely your loss, not theirs.

Uhhhh, applying a ToS to a shrinkwrapped product is legally void in the EU in the first place, so… ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[SDColorado]

I hope this holds true long term. Really like my Eero router.

Me too. It's now wait and see time though and keeping a close eye on policy updates

 

[acgmph]

Uhhhh, applying a ToS to a shrinkwrapped product is legally void in the EU in the first place, so… ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

They bind the ToS to the app or browser you use to configure it with. You'll have to accept the ToS before you set it up. So, technically, it's not related to the hardware, but the software.

 

[Scooz]

Might have been an extremely flexible agreement already then

 

[CarlJ]

Maybe in the US they can, but in the EU, that's a unilateral change of contract. Not only do you have to inform your customers in advance; you also give them a special right to cancel their contract expediently.

And if you, the consumer, cancel your contract, presumably you're cut off from any future software updates and any data the router regularly pulls from the company in question. For hardware you give back at the end of the contract, or for software you stop using, not so much of a problem, but for hardware you purchase at a non-trivial cost that is associated with ongoing software "subscription", pulling out seems more tricky.

 

[palmerc2]

In my mind Amazon is on the same level as Google & Facebook in terms of privacy....none. This is without a doubt spearheaded by their smart speakers, Alexa, and their need to sell products. They sell more products by harvesting your data.

I personally have no smart speaker of any kind, and have “hey Siri” turned off...the thought of a device always listening...yuck.

When I read about Amazon buying Eero the first thing I thought was “stay away, they’ll harvest data”. Sad.