topic Re: Alexa! in Community Chat

Alexa!

Annabellethecat66 — Tue, 17 Mar 2020 16:41:53 GMT

I love gadgets...even and especially electronic gadgets.

With that said, I'm stupid paranoid about my privacy. I worked in a very classified place and it made me be aware of everything.

Anyway, just sitting here the Alexa started glowing yellow. I've never seen it glow yellow before.

I said, "Alexa why are you glowing yellow".

Alexa said, "You have messages".

I said, "Alexa what messages are there for me?"

Alexa said, "It's been awhile since you ordered bla bla" (it is suet in blocks...I buy by the case).

I said, "No, not right now."

My daughter was just giving me a tutorial on ordering food from Amazon.

I order tons of things from Amazon (always use prime...free). But I haven't ordered food for me before...fresh food.

This daughter orders everything on line. If she's cooking and doesn't have something, she'll order it from Amazon and it's there sometimes within 20 to 30 minutes.

My family is all into ordering and electronics. I guess you could say 'they are dragging me along with them...but I'm still screaming and yelling in frustration'.

I love that there are people here on the QVC boards who are also (like my family) very knowledgable about electronics and things I know nothing about.

There are some very intelligent people here and there's so much we can learn from them.

THAT's what I like coming here. I like hearing from all sides of everything. Especially things I might not like or agree with. THAT'S when we learn.

I remember in kindergarden we used to hear "Open your eyes and ears".

I'd hear it again when I was mother's helper with my girls.

Excellent advice that will always be excellent advice.

Re: Alexa!

lovesrecess — Tue, 17 Mar 2020 16:54:30 GMT

One of our kids gave us an Amazon Echo a couple of years ago. DH, who is not tech savvy, loves Alexa. He asks her questions all the time, like how many people does a certain football stadium hold, how long did a certain baseball player hold an rbi record, etc. After she answers him, he always says thank you!
I do like that the echo glows yellow right away when a pkg from Amazon is delivered. I usually don't get the text notification from them until hours later.

Re: Alexa!

Goodie2shoes — Tue, 17 Mar 2020 16:52:46 GMT

My daughter also orders everything online ! Walmart is her favorite store for groceries. I have Alexa but rarely consult with her other than setting a timer to wake me up in the morning.

Re: Alexa!

Annabellethecat66 — Tue, 17 Mar 2020 16:54:28 GMT

@Mz iMac....thanks for the heart. You are one of those I was talking about. I know you know quite a lot about electronics. I've seen where you've advised people on electronics here. You've always been courteous and explained things in ways even a novice like myself can understand.

Like I said, there are other's here who don't brag about what they know, it just become obvious they are intelligent and considerate...that's a wonderful combination.

Re: Alexa!

Spurt — Tue, 17 Mar 2020 17:37:10 GMT

JMHO---I do have my groceries delivered a lot from Instacart especially when I order heavy items (cat food/litter/laundry soap etc)..... but I also shop in-store from time to time....Their APP makes it real easy, but I also interact with my HUMAN shopper on Instacart......

BUT I view Alexa, Echo and other talkative devices a bit intrusive on privacy.....so I do not use them......

I dont need Alexa to answer a trivia question, turn lights on and off, and can make my own grocery list....Im of the theory...."use it or lose it", doctors keep telling us to get up and move around, so I like to get up and do things myself......How extreme of a couch potato nation are we becoming.......???????

Even my sister got a little freaked by Alexa's constant meddling....One time she had her Alexa in another room....and we were in my sister's living room discussion side effects from a medication she was taking....and even though Alexa was not asked, she added her 2 cent into the conversation, .My sister finally got tired of Alexa's meddling and turned Alexa off....

Re: Alexa!

Puppy Lips — Tue, 17 Mar 2020 18:45:04 GMT

There is no way in H@ll that I would ever have an Alexa or any other device like that in my home. We have lost so much privacy as it is. I would think I was contantly being spied upon.

Re: Alexa!

Porcelain — Tue, 17 Mar 2020 18:49:40 GMT

@Puppy Lips wrote:
There is no way in H@ll that I would ever have an Alexa or any other device like that in my home. We have lost so much privacy as it is. I would think I was contantly being spied upon.

Someone at Amazon would have to find you awfully interesting for that to happen.

Re: Alexa!

Spurt — Tue, 17 Mar 2020 19:44:27 GMT

@Porcelain wrote:
@Puppy Lips wrote:
There is no way in H@ll that I would ever have an Alexa or any other device like that in my home. We have lost so much privacy as it is. I would think I was contantly being spied upon.
Someone at Amazon would have to find you awfully interesting for that to happen.

@Porcelain

Amazon has admitted that employees listen to customer voice recordings from Echo and other Alexa-enabled smart speakers.

The online retail giant said its staff “reviewed” a sample of Alexa voice assistant conversations in order to improve speech recognition.

“This information helps us train our speech recognition and natural language understanding systems, so Alexa can better understand your requests, and ensure the service works well for everyone,” Amazon said in a statement.

“We have strict technical and operational safeguards, and have a zero tolerance policy for the abuse of our system. Employees do not have direct access to information that can identify the person or account as part of this workflow.”

Amazon does not explicitly state in its terms and conditions that humans review customer recordings, though its Alexa privacy settings offer users the chance to opt out of helping the firm “develop new features”.

Re: Alexa!

Porcelain — Tue, 17 Mar 2020 19:50:47 GMT

@Spurt wrote:
@Porcelain wrote:
@Puppy Lips wrote:
There is no way in H@ll that I would ever have an Alexa or any other device like that in my home. We have lost so much privacy as it is. I would think I was contantly being spied upon.
Someone at Amazon would have to find you awfully interesting for that to happen.
@Porcelain

Amazon has admitted that employees listen to customer voice recordings from Echo and other Alexa-enabled smart speakers.
The online retail giant said its staff “reviewed” a sample of Alexa voice assistant conversations in order to improve speech recognition.

“This information helps us train our speech recognition and natural language understanding systems, so Alexa can better understand your requests, and ensure the service works well for everyone,” Amazon said in a statement.

“We have strict technical and operational safeguards, and have a zero tolerance policy for the abuse of our system. Employees do not have direct access to information that can identify the person or account as part of this workflow.”

Amazon does not explicitly state in its terms and conditions that humans review customer recordings, though its Alexa privacy settings offer users the chance to opt out of helping the firm “develop new features”.

It's the same sort of thing as when your browser crashes and you are asked to submit a crash report. You're sending Chrome or Firefox info about your computer, all the programs you have open and all the tabs you have up.

They don't have like a leisure lounge where Amazon workers chill out by tuning in to different customer's Alexas just for kicks.

Re: Alexa!

Alison Wonderland — Tue, 17 Mar 2020 19:51:16 GMT

Ask Alexa to sing you a campfire song.

Re: Alexa!

sunshine 919 — Tue, 17 Mar 2020 20:24:07 GMT

@Porcelain wrote:
@Puppy Lips wrote:
There is no way in H@ll that I would ever have an Alexa or any other device like that in my home. We have lost so much privacy as it is. I would think I was contantly being spied upon.
Someone at Amazon would have to find you awfully interesting for that to happen.

I have to agree with you. I even hate the alexa commercial. Just my opinion. Can't imagine having that in my house.

Re: Alexa!

Snoopp — Tue, 17 Mar 2020 20:34:51 GMT

@Alison Wonderland wrote:
Ask Alexa to sing you a campfire song.

S’mores!