Cisco apologizes privacy "chaos" cloud connection down to optional

After receiving a large number of customer complaints about automatic firmware upgrades and terms of service, Cisco made concessions to remove its Connect Cloud service (Cloud Connection services) from the management default configuration of the Linksys EA series Wi-Fi router.

Cisco's post, released in Thursday, said the default method for managing the high-end Linksys router had been changed to use the traditional setup and installation methods of local networks. When Cisco announced last week that it would start providing connect cloud, they set the internet-based Management Service as the default tool for Linksys routers.

Now, users who want to use the Cisco Cloud Connectivity feature will need to make their own choices. This is a major concession for Cisco, which has long claimed that the cloud service is part of the future vision of home Wi-Fi routers. In a previous response to the customer, Cisco helped the customer return to the old management system, but the latest move was to get the customer to choose the new service proactively. In the blog post, Cisco not only announced the change, but also apologized two times and explained to the client several questions about privacy and automatic firmware updates.

"We think our own terms of service are not clear enough to cause many customers ' questions and we apologize for the confusion and inconvenience caused," said Brett Wingo, vice president and managing director of Cisco's Home network. ”

Wingo writes: "Cisco Cloud Connections and Cisco Linksys routers do not monitor or store information about how our customers use the Internet, and we do not disconnect our customers ' Internet connections at random. Cisco Cloud Connection Service has never monitored the internet usage of customers, and we have never had this design intention. Cisco does not update the user's Linksys router when the automatic upgrade setting is turned off. ”

The blog said Cisco would update its terms of service and documents as soon as possible, although this is not the first time Cisco has handled the crisis, and some of the changes announced in Friday have failed to quell criticism from some voice users.

Cisco launched its cloud connectivity service in April, along with a new generation of Wi-Fi home routers, Linksys EA2700, EA3500 and EA4500. Cisco says the service allows users to remotely manage wireless LANs via a Web browser or smartphone application, and has launched six Third-party applications for the service, opening the platform for other developers.

When the cloud service was put into use last week, some EA3500 and EA4500 users began complaining in user forums that Cisco updated their router firmware overnight and forced them to move to cloud-based management services. Although Lan-based management is also available, the user indicates that it lacks many of the previous functions of LAN management.

Worse, disgruntled customers have studied the terms of service for Cisco Cloud Connections and found that Cisco said it might collect information about the service's use, including the user's internet history. The terms of service also indicate that Cisco may "Share summary information and anonymous user experience information" with third parties. These terms caused dissatisfaction among customers, and some customers also said they would stop using the Linksys router.

After receiving these complaints, Cisco rewrote the privacy policy and took steps to help the user return to the previous router firmware version and turn off the Automatic Updates feature. But customer complaints have not stopped, and some customers say Cisco may disconnect their routers based on terms of service under the updated privacy policy.

While changing the default state of Cisco Cloud Connections, Cisco is still trying to promote cloud-based router management, Wingo said: "We are also committed to providing cloud-based and local management software." "(邹铮 compiled)

(Responsible editor: The good of the Legacy)