Amazon is killing its “Do Not Send Voice Recordings” privacy feature on March 28 as the company aims to bolster Alexa+, its new subscription assistant.
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That's to expected when you remove the watchdogs. It will also signal to the rest of the world to be careful with US tech and data-storage when it comes to privacy and safety.
This seems ripe for a class action suit from disabled people who use these as assistive devices. They shouldn't have to pay a monthly fee to protect their privacy.
So glad I never bought into that bullshit. It's bad enough that I am forced to buy stuff on Amazon because they drove all of the brick and mortar stores out of business.
Just thinking today that it’s time to get rid of the smart plugs and venture over to the local hardware store to buy the old school timers for the 1-2 things Alexa runs inside the house. Glad I never used it much for anything else.
I will never have one of those devices in my home. If I ever get too lazy to pick up a phone or laptop to play music or order something, I hope I’m dead soon after.
I don’t allow any Alexa type device in my house and you would be wise to get rid of it if you do. Especially if your views aren’t acceptable to the current regime.
DUMP Amazon.
American consumers we have the power. If we unite and send a clear message to these MAGA billionaires they will wake the hell up.
Look what a Tesla boycott did.
I was hoping to come to this and see some alternatives, but it is mostly "you're a moron for ever using one". These are actually useful for voice home automation. Of course I don't want all my info sent to Amazon, so I'll find a source of new options that doesn't call me an idiot in the process.
Even local commands like "Alex, turn on the lights" will be routed through Amazon's cloud.
Amazon is going to know a lot more about users because of this.
#noprivacy
If I want to replace my Echos with something else that can also turn on my smart light, Harmony Remote for TV, Garage (this I will be replacing soon), etc etc. Where do I go?
I can solve that by just not owning and using amazon devices...never have, never plan to.
And one of my current life goals is to NOT give any more money to amazon/bezos ever again.
Yeah, And that mute button is so pointless anyway. You have to walk over to it when you want to use it... Just unplug it?
Personally, I'm not fussed - if my inane conversations/groaning taken completely out of context help make the World a better place, go for it... If it's just about money, pay me
Serious question: If you live in a 2-party consent state for audio recording and you enter a building that has Alexa, who do you sue for recording you without permission? Simply entering can't be consent if you don't *see* Alexa.
Or does Alexa come with "audio surveillance in use" window stickers?
Since it isn’t the friend who is benefiting, seems like they wouldn’t be at fault, but they own and place the device. Legally, should there be a disclosure in every location?
My question was a bit unfair, I wasn't talking about the law, it's pretty clear / has exceptions.
What I had in mind was if Amazon doesn't tell users the device is recording *and* a business sets it up and doesn't tell patrons, who is violating the 2-party consent?
This is standard "bait and switch" fare from corporate America. I wonder why consumers keep falling for it.
They wait until your entire life (appliances, security systems, TV, lights, toilets, garden sprinklers) are connected, then change the rules knowing it's not cost effective to switch back.
The US DOJ (& probs the whole alphabet soup) already had warrantless access to whatever's stored on AWS servers, anyways. That's why EU courts slapped them with a record-high fine.
I got a free echo dot with the purchase of something a while ago. I never understood the appeal of having a device connected to the internet listen in on everyday conversations for commands.
I also use the “announcement” feature like an intercom/broadcast system with my teens when they’re in different rooms of the house (and their phones are dead, like usual 😒).
I believed the same thing. I’ve had them for yearsss and have considered getting rid of them, but I like to have music always playing in the background, especially when I’m cooking or doing house chores and moving from room to room. And they’re nice when hosting parties/events.
I programmed a couple skills for them, and it used to be true back them. We mostly use the music, timer, and grocery list.
Sonus has smart speakers, I can buy a timer or use the stove, but I'll really miss the grocery list. It sorted things by aisle, and it's so much easier by voice than app.
how would that even work? how would it recognize the command word if it wasnt listening? And now, explicitly, they're saying anything it hears is fair game
Yes, and it can listen for breaking glass and smoke alarms. But all of that was never stored, never left the house. Only when it heard "Alexa" then it started recording and parsing and sending the text to Amazon servers. The text didn't have background sounds or identify the person speaking.
They trust amazon. It is possible to program that thing to just listen and immediately "forget" everything that was said and only start recording after it detected the keyword.
1/
Maybe I'm overly paranoid, but as long as no trustworthy independent party has reviewed the code running on these things, I for one would never put 'em in my bedroom.
2/2
Let's put it this way. I once had a phone conversation with a friend where Taco Bell was mentioned, and later that day on Facebook I had ads for Taco Bell.
Another time I misread something as "Unicorn Sauce" and was joking about it with my phone in my pocket unused.
True, but I feel it was picked up on the call and then used for advertising purposes.
Yeah, that last one is just way too wild. We were discussing what unicorn sauce would be...sauce made from unicorn, or sauce to go with unicorn steak. As I said, phone was in my pocket the whole time.
Yeah, if that unicorn conversation was voice only, never text, and a regular call (fb voice calls and texts were monitored) then that's proof to me that Alexa was listening when it shouldn't.
Glad I was never suckered into getting one. No one bothers to read the fine print. ("I wonder how Amazon knows what I'm talking about, and sends all these suggestions to me?"). People give their rights to privacy up every single day, for convenience.
I hope they enjoy the thousands of recordings of me asking for a 10 and 20 minute timer as well as me shouting at it for not being able to give me any fucking coherent answer.
With the extreme to which Bejeezos has bowed to trump, it is not inconceivable that the recordings are no longer just "after" the wake word, and someone truly paranoid might think that the data isn't JUST going to Amazon.
I pretty much assume that they're always listening and recording. Though the fact that they're now admitting they will do so is a tad concerning. Frankly, I'm far more concerned what Musk and his DOGE lackeys are going to do with the info they've gained access to on our government servers.
At their core, these smart devices can make a house more accessible than we could have ever imagined with very little setup and minimal hardware required. They are legitimately very convenient. Some people either don't understand the security concerns or don't care. That said, I'll never own one.
The free one I got years ago is sitting in a drawer. I never understood the appeal. And we really want spies in our homes NOW? With what is happening in America?
I never had an Alexa, cancelled my Amazon account, don’t shop at Whole Foods or Amazon Fresh stores. If the government doesn’t believe Amazon is overreaching, I do.
After decades of literature and film dramatizing the evils of a future surveillance state, when the time came, we all just gave them our credit cards and signed up.
Yep, the batteries will be coming out, even tho I THINK it’s gotta connect to the internet thru the TV, better safe than sorry- or spied on. This is a crazy move for Bezos.
Can someone tell me how they’ve intergrated this into their life?
We had one on each floor 2019-2021 and just never used them. Closest we came was asking it to turn on and off the lights, but using my phone was just easier.
We got rid of them and haven’t missed them for a second.
Comments
Bad for trust in US businesses.
#saveTheUS and #stopTheMadness
Gee. Ya think?!!!!!!
American consumers we have the power. If we unite and send a clear message to these MAGA billionaires they will wake the hell up.
Look what a Tesla boycott did.
Fuck Amazon spying.
I'll get my ass out of the chair to turn a light on.
Alexa must die.
Amazon is going to know a lot more about users because of this.
#noprivacy
“Alexa, why is Jeff Bezos such a fucking asshole?
“Alexa, say ‘Jeff Bezos is a total fuckwad’”
“Alexa, ….”
If I want to replace my Echos with something else that can also turn on my smart light, Harmony Remote for TV, Garage (this I will be replacing soon), etc etc. Where do I go?
Does Ring work on an Apple or Google environment?
https://www.home-assistant.io/voice-pe/
Can be run entirely locally.
And one of my current life goals is to NOT give any more money to amazon/bezos ever again.
Personally, I'm not fussed - if my inane conversations/groaning taken completely out of context help make the World a better place, go for it... If it's just about money, pay me
Listening the whole time.
...but that's still really shitty.
Amazon, Google, Apple - they're all farming data. Who hears me say, "set a timer for 10 minutes" isn't really important.
Or does Alexa come with "audio surveillance in use" window stickers?
What I had in mind was if Amazon doesn't tell users the device is recording *and* a business sets it up and doesn't tell patrons, who is violating the 2-party consent?
https://www.mwl-law.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/RECORDING-CONVERSATIONS-CHART.pdf
They wait until your entire life (appliances, security systems, TV, lights, toilets, garden sprinklers) are connected, then change the rules knowing it's not cost effective to switch back.
Alexa = Bezos = in bed with a wannabe dictator.
Nothing good will comes of that.
Sonus has smart speakers, I can buy a timer or use the stove, but I'll really miss the grocery list. It sorted things by aisle, and it's so much easier by voice than app.
I use AnyList app for grocery list, can be shared and has great hide/show for crossed off items.
1/
2/2
Another time I misread something as "Unicorn Sauce" and was joking about it with my phone in my pocket unused.
There's no way anybody could convince me after this last one that they don't listen without being activated.
Yeah, that last one is just way too wild. We were discussing what unicorn sauce would be...sauce made from unicorn, or sauce to go with unicorn steak. As I said, phone was in my pocket the whole time.
1) Unplug your Alexa device.
2) Take it to your local electronics recycling facility to be properly disposed of.
Hey Alexa, go fuck yourself.
From A Fucking Moron.
For having an unnecessary device that sends all audio it hears to an evil billionaire named Bezos who's in bed with Trump.
Pretty moronic.
It is crystal clear! 😎
Don’t. Buy. One.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Trying to avoid amazon when possible. Servers & national security are out of my reach.
Privacy? What's that?
🙄
If you'd told me in 2008 that by 2025 I'd want a dumb-phone and a dumb-TV, I don't think I'd have believed you.
We had one on each floor 2019-2021 and just never used them. Closest we came was asking it to turn on and off the lights, but using my phone was just easier.
We got rid of them and haven’t missed them for a second.