Credit: Amazon
Amazon’s Alexa device has a lot of good qualities, but one bad one: It eavesdrops.
A couple in Portland, Oregon, was shocked to discover Alexa recorded a private conversation in their home and then sent it to a random person on their contact list.
Danielle, who asked her last name not be identified, told KIRO TV the revelation brought to life a fear that she and her husband had when they first installed the devices to handle their home’s heat, lights and security system.
“My husband and I would joke and say ‘I’d bet these devices are listening to what we’re saying,’” she said.
Things took a chilling turn into Big Brother territory about two weeks ago when the couple got a phone call from an employee of Danielle’s husband.
The message: “Unplug your Alexa devices […]
It still amazes me that otherwise very intelligent people trust Amazon, Google, Facebook or any other commercial entity that make their money in large part by gathering data. Duh comes to mind, “oh my god alexa is listening to our conversations”, who knew?? And there is a version with video camera…
Anything connected to the web can and will be hacked. Most people don’t know that the camera and microphone on their phone can be turned on remotely without their knowledge.