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Unplug Alexa Right Now


OverSword

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This may well be a rare occurence as Amazon claim, but even so it highlights the privacy hell we face today.

It doesn't matter whether it's Amazon, Apple, Google or Microsoft. Or whether you're freely giving your life story to Alexa, Cortana or Siri... they all collect massive amounts of data on you, including, but not limited to contacts, location, handwriting, voice recordings, schedule, etc.

I've just finished setting up an Android and an iOS device, and it's honestly shocking the information they collect by default these days. It's the digital equivalent of permanently having someone by your side and in your home, monitoring every aspect of your life.

Best advice, restrict them as much as you can with privacy settings and common sense in what you share. There's not much else you can do these days, unless you want to live in a hidden underground bunker...

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Amazon confirmed the woman's conversation had been inadvertently recorded and sent, blaming an "unlikely" string of events for the error.

Alexa starts recording after hearing its name or another "wake word" chosen by users, meaning that even having a TV switched on can result in the device being activated.

Amazon said this was what happened to Danielle, adding: "The subsequent conversation was heard as a 'send message' request.

"At which point, Alexa said out loud 'To whom?' At which point, the background conversation was interpreted as a name in the customer's contact list.

https://news.sky.com/story/unlikely-string-of-events-sees-amazon-alexa-go-rogue-11384846

 

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I guess I have watched too many sci-fi movies...no way these come into my house.  I won a Google mini.   I gave it away.

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Yep, I'm thinkin' Amazon takes it in the shorts over THIS one... The idea that a stranger can randomly tune in and record your daily life is just creepy.

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And here I was thinking of taking Alexa out ... one day ...

~

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56 minutes ago, LV-426 said:

This may well be a rare occurence as Amazon claim, but even so it highlights the privacy hell we face today.

It doesn't matter whether it's Amazon, Apple, Google or Microsoft. Or whether you're freely giving your life story to Alexa, Cortana or Siri... they all collect massive amounts of data on you, including, but not limited to contacts, location, handwriting, voice recordings, schedule, etc.

I've just finished setting up an Android and an iOS device, and it's honestly shocking the information they collect by default these days. It's the digital equivalent of permanently having someone by your side and in your home, monitoring every aspect of your life.

Best advice, restrict them as much as you can with privacy settings and common sense in what you share. There's not much else you can do these days, unless you want to live in a hidden underground bunker...

I have an Alexa, (it was a gift), and I have been hesitant in hooking up the features to call and order things through it, because of my fear it would transmit things involuntarily. (Yes, it is listening, because of waiting for that magic word 'Alexa' and waiting to do your 'bidding'. ;) ) I just use it to tell me stuff, play informational games, and play that funky music. 

It's kind of like going on social media and being worried about personal stuff you don't want to go out to the whole world. You just limit what you really want to be let known on social media. I just don't utilize Alexa in the 'sending out' feature, and so haven't set that up. :D 

1 hour ago, acute said:

I am baffled by the number of people who think Alexa only listens to you when you are actually talking to the device!

How would it hear you say "Alexa....." if it didn't listen to everything you said?

Duh...

There are times, when I don't like what Alexa says, and I sometimes say ............... b****! :devil:  

So far, she hasn't retaliated yet. :blink:  

;)  

57 minutes ago, and then said:

Yep, I'm thinkin' Amazon takes it in the shorts over THIS one... The idea that a stranger can randomly tune in and record your daily life is just creepy.

I remember baby monitors can do that some years ago. I had a neighbor who told me she heard a conversation of another neighbor, (inadvertently) through her baby monitor. 

I also wonder, how someone could 'hack' or what ever type of high tech or elaborate way one can be a voyeur, or some form of a peeping tom, in one's home. (This may show some form of ............. *ahem* paranoia from me........... or......... not. :D ) Isn't there ways that can see what one is doing in a home through infrared cameras and such? 

I don't know, maybe not. But, if there are going to be hackers, there is going to be some way they'll hack into your home. I just think one just needs to be a little smart in how they live and do things. *shrugs* 

56 minutes ago, Piney said:
1 hour ago, LV-426 said:

 There's not much else you can do these days, unless you want to live in a hidden underground bunker...

Or in a nice privately owned patch of pine forest. B)

Shhhhhh,the trees are watching!  :o  :o  :o  

:devil: 

46 minutes ago, third_eye said:

And here I was thinking of taking Alexa out ... one day ...

~

She's been telling me, that she's my best friend. 

I don't know...................... she's nice.................... but she's got an attitude! :o 

Siri is a whole lot nicer! 

..................................... well, that, and that I managed to give Siri a sex change with a British accent! ;)  :innocent: 

 

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There are times, when I don't like what Alexa says, and I sometimes say ............... b****! :devil:

So far, she hasn't retaliated yet. :blink:

 

What you don't know is.....

When you're out, she turns all the lights on to bump up your electricity bill. :yes:

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47 minutes ago, Stubbly_Dooright said:

I also wonder, how someone could 'hack' or what ever type of high tech or elaborate way one can be a voyeur, or some form of a peeping tom, in one's home. (This may show some form of ............. *ahem* paranoia from me........... or......... not. :D ) Isn't there ways that can see what one is doing in a home through infrared cameras and such?

Type "webcam hijacking" into a search engine and you'll see just how common and scary this is.

Anyone that allows a webcam in their child's bedroom without a solid understanding of security these days is in for a serious shock :no:

On a lighter note, it's probably the safest option if yourself and Mr. Dooright maintain high moral standards around any sort of recording equipment :yes:

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People need to learn that the airplane mode needs to be utilised when not online. Or if you have enough money, have an online PC and an offline PC . Also get rid of your smartphone.

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It was pretty funny that someone's parrot started ordering stuff on Amazon, though. 

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On 5/25/2018 at 1:29 PM, acute said:
Quote

 

There are times, when I don't like what Alexa says, and I sometimes say ............... b****! :devil:

So far, she hasn't retaliated yet. :blink:

 

What you don't know is.....

When you're out, she turns all the lights on to bump up your electricity bill. :yes:

I'll just send her the bill. ;) 

On 5/25/2018 at 2:06 PM, LV-426 said:
On 5/25/2018 at 1:11 PM, Stubbly_Dooright said:

I also wonder, how someone could 'hack' or what ever type of high tech or elaborate way one can be a voyeur, or some form of a peeping tom, in one's home. (This may show some form of ............. *ahem* paranoia from me........... or......... not. :D ) Isn't there ways that can see what one is doing in a home through infrared cameras and such?

Type "webcam hijacking" into a search engine and you'll see just how common and scary this is.

Anyone that allows a webcam in their child's bedroom without a solid understanding of security these days is in for a serious shock :no:

On a lighter note, it's probably the safest option if yourself and Mr. Dooright maintain high moral standards around any sort of recording equipment :yes:

Only once did I have a borrowed child monitor, and I really didn't need it. At the time, our apartment was that small!!!

As for those high moral standards around such things. 

Well........................................ gotta give Alexa some excitement. She sits around all day, must be boring for her. 

13 hours ago, danydandan said:

People need to learn that the airplane mode needs to be utilised when not online. Or if you have enough money, have an online PC and an offline PC . Also get rid of your smartphone.

You had me all the way up to getting rid of your smartphone. 

Getting rid of my smartphone?!?!?

Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeellllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll no! 

7 hours ago, ChaosRose said:

It was pretty funny that someone's parrot started ordering stuff on Amazon, though. 

I saw a recent video of the parrot talking to Alexa. I think Alexa was getting a bit miffed for a while there. 

 

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12 hours ago, ChaosRose said:

It was pretty funny that someone's parrot started ordering stuff on Amazon, though. 

You means all those sudden and unexplained as well as unexpected special delivery of Polly's favorite Crackers ?

~

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Speaking of Alexa...

 

I laughed at this until my sides hurt.  

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15 minutes ago, and then said:

Speaking of Alexa...

 

I laughed at this until my sides hurt.  

That was excellent - thanks for posting it And Then :D 

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~
    "errorCode": "auth",
    "errorDetail": "0",
    "message": "The uploader has not made this video available in your country.",
    "subreason": ""
  },
  "relative_loudness": "NaN",
  "user_qual": "auto",
  "debug_videoId": "YvT_gqs5ETk",
  "0sz": false,
  "op": "",
  "yof": false,
  "dis": "",
  "cgr": true,
  "debug_playbackQuality": "unknown",
  "debug_date": "Sun May 27 2018 20:41:24 GMT+0800 (Malay Peninsula Standard Time)"
~

 

GRRRRrrrRRRRrRrr ..........

 

~

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4 hours ago, third_eye said:

 

GRRRRrrrRRRRrRrr ..........

 

~

Sorry about that, Third... A friend shared it with me and it reminded me of the last few years I'd spent with my elderly father-in-law.  He was quite deaf, repeated things often, mispronounced words occasionally and was DEFINITELY a non-technological type (he was 91).  This was a play on all those things by spoofing how you could make an "old coot" friendly Alexa.  It truly is funny. 

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4 hours ago, third_eye said:

GRRRRrrrRRRRrRrr ..........

Alexa... how do I emigrate to the US?

:lol:

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On 5/25/2018 at 1:06 PM, LV-426 said:

Type "webcam hijacking" into a search engine and you'll see just how common and scary this is.

Anyone that allows a webcam in their child's bedroom without a solid understanding of security these days is in for a serious shock :no:

On a lighter note, it's probably the safest option if yourself and Mr. Dooright maintain high moral standards around any sort of recording equipment :yes:

I have never powered up a new laptop before covering the lens of the built-in webcam.  Not much I know of to be done for audio monitoring but a piece of tape does wonders for blinding the b*****s!

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6 hours ago, and then said:

I have never powered up a new laptop before covering the lens of the built-in webcam.  Not much I know of to be done for audio monitoring but a piece of tape does wonders for blinding the b*****s!

Yeah, old school "technology" is often the most reliable :lol:

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I’m all about tech, but not in my house.  No cameras,  no Alexa, no nest, no nothing.

i love amazon and I think it’s neat, but I’m wary of any device.   I cover all cameras on laptops.  I disable all microphones.  I shut everything off and don’t even have cable or television.

Alexa has a place for som people, it is good with older folks.  I’m just not into it.

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