Do you have any idea whether Amazon Alexa and Google’s voice assistant can listen in on private conversations? According to a recent report, they can! And while the exact method of listening in is unknown, they do use ‘keyword spotting’ to identify wake words. When people talk about a certain topic, you may be shown digital adverts. So does Alexa spy on you? The answer depends on which Alexa feature you’re using.
It is not known whether Alexa actively records conversations, but it is possible. It’s true that Alexa listens to all conversations, as long as it hears the wake word “Alexa”. In some cases, it may even think you said its name when you actually didn’t! However, it has been reported that Alexa has even sent conversations to strangers and co-workers. This may be the real reason behind its “listening” ability.
While Amazon claims that it only records a fraction of user conversations, some researchers believe this is a violation of privacy laws. Despite this, the company shares the data with 41 advertising partners. And you can always opt out of having your voice recorded by Amazon. The company has also added the capability of controlling smart home devices like thermostats and lights. In addition to this, Alexa has integrations with smart light bulbs, smart locks, and home security cameras. However, the company is not responsible for the security of personal data and cannot prevent a breach of privacy.
The Amazon Echo records audio from your conversations around the clock. Alexa is designed to respond to your voice with the appropriate responses based on similar words. In addition, it can even trigger a recording if you use the wake word. Besides, it is possible that you might accidentally say something that sounds like your activation word. Then you might wonder, “Is Alexa spying on me?”
