topic Re: 6 Ways to Keep "Alexa" From Eavesdropping on You in Community Chat

6 Ways to Keep "Alexa" From Eavesdropping on You

handygal2 — Sat, 26 May 2018 11:55:09 GMT

I don't have "Alexa" in my home, nor do l plan to. But for anyone who does, and wants to keep their conversations-- and other things-- private, this article from Business Insider is worth reading. Instead of "Big Brother is watching," in this case "Big Sister is listening." Lol.

SAN FRANCISCO— After an Oregon family described a scenario that encapsulated the worst fears about owning a smart speaker — their Amazon Echo picked up a private conversation and then shared it with the outside world — you might ask: How can I prevent this from happening?

Aside from unplugging your smart speaker for good, there are some safeguards you can use if you're one of the 40 million people who have these voice-activated speakers from Amazon or competitors Google Home and Apple HomePod.

In the Portland, Ore. family’s case, one of the several Alexa devices they had in their home misinterpreted conversations happening in the house as a command to first record a conversation and then send it as a message to a contact on the father’s contact list.

According to Amazon, Alexa twice asked for confirmation of the requests. The family didn’t hear the requests, perhaps because they volume was set too low, but Alexa heard the conversation — and interpreted the talk as a response to the voice software's questions. Then it completed what it had determined was a request: send a message to someone on your contact list.

Here’s the problem: All the digital assistant and smart speaker makers including Amazon, Google, Apple and Microsoft, are working hard to make their systems ever more sensitive, ready to hear the quietest command in the nosiest room and better able to guess the meaning of our sometimes mumbled utterances.

First off though, remember that while Alexa is always listening, it's not always recording. Amazon's voice recognition program is constantly listening for its "wake word," the word that tells the system to pay attention, so it doesn't record everything it hears.

Only when it hears its wake word does it begin sending what you say to the cloud-computer server, where it's recorded so it can be translated into commands. Alexa also keeps a record of all the commands you've given it so that it can better learn how to answer you.

You can see all the stored commands you've given it by going into your Alexa app and looking at settings and then history, where you'll see all the interactions you've had with Alexa. You can also delete this history by going to the Amazon website through the accounts and lists settings.

(More: How to stop your devices from listening to (and saving) what you say)

(More: Alexa creepily recorded a family's private conversations, sent them to business associate)

If you want to minimize the chances Alexa will misinterpret something you say and inadvertently eavesdrop on you, here are some tips:

Set a different wake word

One of the most annoying attributes of digital devices is how often they respond when you’re not talking to them. Then everyone has to clam up until the digital assistant gives up and goes quiet again.

This happens because the assistant either hears its wake word, or hears something it thinks was its wake word, and wakes up.

In Alexa's case, there are four possible wake words — Alexa, Echo, Amazon or Computer. You can test to see which one results in fewer inadvertent Alexa wake-ups in your household. Which one that is will depend on what sorts of things you tend to talk about around the house. You might not want to use "Computer" if you work in a computer repair shop, for example.

Turn up the volume

This is one of those double-edged sword problems. Many people turn down the volume on their Echos because they don’t want to bother others in the household. This can mean that if Alexa says something to confirm a question you might not hear it, especially if you're not close to the speaker.

Though it’s not clear that’s what happened in the Portland family’s case.

Amazon said in its statement that Alexa said two things out loud during the incident. First, it asked “To whom?” when it thought they were asking it to send a message to someone. Second, it said the name of the person in the contact list the message was going to and then the word “Right?”

However the mother of the Portland family, who reported the incident to KIRO 7 television, said in a follow-up interview that the Echo that shared her conversation was very close to her, and the volume was set to seven out of 10. She said it never requested her permission to send the audio.

Say no to Contacts

Many programs ask if they can access your Contacts. Your default should be, "No thank you," unless there’s a strong reason for doing so.

Alexa’s Calling and Messaging functionality allows you to call or message people in your Contact list who also use Alexa Calling and Messaging. That makes it easy to say, “Call Marion” and have your Alexa call Marion. But it also makes it easy for Alexa to mis-hear your innocent conversation about going to see the fall colors as “Call Calvin.”

Turn it Off

You can turn off Alexa’s microphone on the Echo and Dot by pressing the microphone button. This is an actual switch and not just an electronic command, so it can’t be circumvented by someone hacking into the device.

On the Echo Dot and Look, you can also turn off the cameras. Search in the Alexa FAQ on Amazon for detailed instructions.

No Voice Purchases

Although reports of people accidentally buying things using voice purchase on Alexa are rare, they have happened. You can avoid having to make returns by either disabling Purchase by Voice or setting a PIN number so that only by saying the number can something be purchased. Both can be accessed in the Settings and then Voice Purchasing portion of the Alexa app.

Don't Drop In

One function on Alexa that can be fun is the ability to “drop in” on a permitted contact's device and hear (and see, with a Show or Dot) the person on the other end. It’s great for friends and grandparents but a little daunting from a privacy perspective.

The system does give warning that someone’s trying to drop in, and you can decline the visit. But if you’d rather they just didn’t come knocking, you can set the Drop In feature so that it only allows permitted contacts, only people in your household or no one at all to drop in.

To set that, go into your Amazon app, click on the specific device you want to set and scroll down to Communications, then set the toggle to the level of availability you want.

Baby steps

Keep in mind how new this technology is — Alexa only debuted at the end of 2014. So many of the kinks are still being worked out, said Yoshi Kohno, a professor of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Washington in Seattle.

"When the automobile was first introduced, or the airplane or the computer, it took time for us to understand the good and bad they came with," he said. "The consequences aren't all clear yet."

Re: 6 Ways to Keep "Alexa" From Eavesdropping on You

ms traditional — Sat, 26 May 2018 12:13:09 GMT

better solution:keep you mind sharp by being your own Alexa. her eavesdropping, phone gps tracking of your every move which is stored, social media databases of your every public word, storage of your phone calls/e-mails by government - it is getting harder and harder to protect one's individual privacy.

Re: 6@ Ways to Keep "Alexa" From Eavesdropping on You

lolakimono — Sat, 26 May 2018 12:39:51 GMT

@handygal2

Alexa does not "hear" me.

She can never find what I ask her for (songs/artists, mostly).

BF repeats the request and she plays it immediately.

I think she and I are not on the same frequency, LOL.

Re: 6@ Ways to Keep "Alexa" From Eavesdropping on You

apple1964 — Sat, 26 May 2018 12:51:39 GMT

I just shut off or pull out the plug when I am not using my three Alexa dots. I only have it set up to wake me up in the morning give me the weather or commuter travel for the day. It depends on what you set the Alexa on that this situation has happened.

Re: 6 Ways to Keep "Alexa" From Eavesdropping on You

LTT1 — Sat, 26 May 2018 12:59:55 GMT

I’m pretty sure our smart tv hears what I say.

I said “Nice hair, Trisha” to it the other day...So YouTube accessed her songs, presented me with them and then I got offers in my inbox.😆

Re: 6 Ways to Keep "Alexa" From Eavesdropping on You

CLEM — Sat, 26 May 2018 13:18:43 GMT

I will never have any of these "smart" gadgets. Too creepy.

Re: 6 Ways to Keep "Alexa" From Eavesdropping on You

chrystaltree — Sat, 26 May 2018 13:46:48 GMT

It's easier than that for me. I don't have one.

Re: 6 Ways to Keep "Alexa" From Eavesdropping on You

SilleeMee — Sat, 26 May 2018 13:50:16 GMT

I don't have Alexa but I do own a few smart TVs and those are creeping me out because...

Re: 6 Ways to Keep "Alexa" From Eavesdropping on You

esmeraldagooch — Sat, 26 May 2018 15:12:02 GMT

@SilleeMee wrote:
I don't have Alexa but I do own a few smart TVs and those are creeping me out because...

Exactly why we haven't upgraded tv's. These should be good for a few years longer.

Re: 6 Ways to Keep "Alexa" From Eavesdropping on You

Mominohio — Sat, 26 May 2018 20:22:20 GMT

Everyone is looking for different things to make their lives easier, but really, most of this stuff that is supposed to make it easier, is actually creating many more complications.

I don't need and don't want all this stuff. I'm perfectly willing, happy and dedicated to doing things for myself without all these latest gadgets.

This technology is quickly going beyond handy and useful, to intrusive and disabling (the more of it people use, the fewer skills they seem to have in many areas, because something is doing it for them).

Re: 6 Ways to Keep "Alexa" From Eavesdropping on You

TenderMercies — Sat, 26 May 2018 20:44:15 GMT

The incident stirring this controversy was so random that it’s silly to me how this has become such a big deal. I’m of the belief that those who criticize technology are usually just incapable of either understanding it or being able to afford it.

Re: 6 Ways to Keep "Alexa" From Eavesdropping on You

CLEM — Sat, 26 May 2018 23:24:15 GMT

Back about 9-10 years ago QVC was selling a lot of the Sharp Aquos TV. I did get a 32" one for the bedroom and liked it so much that I also got a 42" one for my living room. It's not a smart TV, but it had already all the aps programed in like U-Tube, Netflix, etc. even though I don't think you could connect with these things at the time. Now I can use all these applications without having a Smart TV and I am glad to have them. The picture has always been very good on these TVs.

Re: 6 Ways to Keep "Alexa" From Eavesdropping on You

esmeraldagooch — Sun, 27 May 2018 15:04:53 GMT

@TenderMercies wrote:
The incident stirring this controversy was so random that it’s silly to me how this has become such a big deal. I’m of the belief that those who criticize technology are usually just incapable of either understanding it or being able to afford it.

Obviouly the people in the story were able to understand they were hacked and they did buy the unit. This isn't the first time this has happened and won't be the last.

Re: 6 Ways to Keep "Alexa" From Eavesdropping on You

depglass — Sun, 27 May 2018 15:11:27 GMT

Way #7, don't buy one.

Re: 6 Ways to Keep "Alexa" From Eavesdropping on You

Shorty2U — Mon, 28 May 2018 03:54:37 GMT

That was a fluke, they are working to fix it. Obviously they had their contacts connected to it. I don't do emails and connect contacts to my Alexa. Nor do I shop via Alexa. And if the people at Alexa want to hear my conversations I don't care. Maybe they can tell politicians what I think when I'm talking politics..lol. Its not like we sit here spewing off our Social Security numbers etc over dinner. A lot of times Alexa doesn't even answer me when I say Alexa and ask a question, so I doubt its listening every minute. lol. Those people also used it to control their lights, and everything in their home. I only use to ask questions, play music, or sometimes I ask things while cooking. Anyway Alexa listening (or not) doesnt phase me.

Re: 6 Ways to Keep "Alexa" From Eavesdropping on You

puttypiesmom — Mon, 28 May 2018 04:02:30 GMT

Correct me if I'm wrong but you need a smart tv if you are planning on eliminating costly providers from your life and using any and all available streaming services. I don't fully understand how to connect Hulu for example to our tv which is not a smart tv but have been told that is why. Is that correct?

Re: 6 Ways to Keep "Alexa" From Eavesdropping on You

CLEM — Mon, 28 May 2018 13:12:59 GMT

@puttypiesmom I guess it depends on what kind of TV you have and how old it is. I don't have a smart TV, but can connect to hulu, etc. If you have a WiFi for your computer, you can try to connect it to your TV and check it out.

I would not have been able to do that, but someone I know did this for me initially. Good luck!

Re: 6 Ways to Keep "Alexa" From Eavesdropping on You

NicksmomESQ — Mon, 28 May 2018 13:21:05 GMT

I have the perfect solution.I don’t have one & have no plans of ever getting one.Problem solved!! Lol 😂.

Re: 6 Ways to Keep "Alexa" From Eavesdropping on You

happycat — Mon, 28 May 2018 13:25:36 GMT

I think its creepy, quite frankly.

Re: 6 Ways to Keep "Alexa" From Eavesdropping on You

esmeraldagooch — Mon, 28 May 2018 14:07:48 GMT

@puttypiesmom wrote:
Correct me if I'm wrong but you need a smart tv if you are planning on eliminating costly providers from your life and using any and all available streaming services. I don't fully understand how to connect Hulu for example to our tv which is not a smart tv but have been told that is why. Is that correct?

Our NOT smart tv has access to the streaming channels with two items in our home. Our Playstation 3 or the Roku 2 unit we picked up at Walmart. You can get a Fire stick or any like unit very cheap. then you're good to go.