Amazon’s products Echo and Echo Dot were released in the US in June 2015. These devices come with a voice commanded AI called Alexa that, with simple voice commands, allows users to stream music, set timers, and perform numerous other technically integrated functions. However, as Alexa is voice commanded and is usually on at all times, many users have wondered about the privacy of having Alexa in their home. This article describes some privacy concerns and what you can do to minimize them.
Is Amazon Alexa Always Recording?
Alexa’s terms of use listed on Amazon’s website state,
“The Software will provide Amazon with information about use of Alexa and its interaction with your Alexa Enabled Product (such as device type, voice information, content metadata, and location). Information provided through Alexa may be stored on servers outside the country in which you live.”
Where these servers are stored and what ‘content metadata’ means is not clear. Amazon likely collects data from users to improve the software, and communicate with authorized third parties. Additionally, Amazon releases content to certified third-party companies (for instance, Dominos if you order a pizza through their app). To connect third parties to Alexa, users must agree to the third party’s own terms of use, which may or may not cover privacy of information.
Something that has eased many people’s concerns about privacy is that companies like Amazon have refused to release records to non-authorized third parties. Although some of these groups include police officers trying to gain information about crimes, Amazon has agreed to protect the privacy of Echo users. However, they do state that if a law binding contract forced them to relinquish records, they would abide. This would likely only be in the case where police officers were investigating a crime, and only that person’s specific data would be released.
Can Amazon Alexa be Hacked?
Since the servers that contain information about what you tell Alexa are at an undisclosed location, some people are concerned that their information could be compromised. Amazon does say that the information they collect is first encrypted before sent to the servers to minimize someone hacking the information. Although Alexa does listen in, it does not mean it is always transmitting data to the servers. Amazon argues that the 60-seconds of audio data Alexa collects before reacting to the wake word is not stored on the servers, but this has been questioned.
Protecting Your Privacy With Alexa
Like other types of voice-activated technologies, Alexa will only react to the word ‘Alexa.’ Some users have reported that the technology sometimes misinterprets a word and tries to fulfill an unintentional request. If knowing that Alexa is listening and turning on more often than needed makes you uncomfortable, there are options to change the “wake” word. Currently the options include saying “computer”, “Echo”, or “Amazon”. Amazon also states that information is only being streamed to the cloud in between the time the wake word is said and when Alexa is no longer in use. However, if you are streaming music for hours, it is not clear if Amazon is gathering information you say in this time.
Users can turn off the device while not in use. There is also the option to delete or review what you have told Alexa. To do this, visit the History section under Settings. Although you can delete your history of what was said, it is not clear if this data is deleted from any servers Amazon has used to collect data. Overall, Amazon does everything that they can do protect the privacy of their users. Despite this, a subpoena or a hacker could potentially gain information collected by Alexa. In an interview with NBC, representatives from Amazon stated, “Echo and Alexa were designed with privacy and security as part of the design, not an afterthought.” For now, Echo users can only hope that Amazon fulfills their promises to ensure privacy.