There have been many privacy concerns regarding the Amazon Echo and Alexa voice assistant. Amazon has even paid people to listen to recordings made by the device. In addition to the privacy issues associated with using these products, these devices interact with other services, and this could lead to an increasingly dystopian world. In this article, we’ll examine some of the issues regarding privacy and Alexa. Listed below are some of the ways to protect your privacy with Alexa.
While Amazon does not record everything that you say to Alexa, you should always be aware that it will delete your voice recordings after a certain amount of time. For example, the device may remember that you purchased a pregnancy test if you tell it to do so. However, it may use that data to target ads to you. It may also use the information to make a decision about whether or not to sell you a new pair of jeans.
Although Amazon says it only collects data necessary for improving its products and services, there are still several concerns with Alexa and privacy. The company warns customers that the device may record conversations and use that information for its analysis. Besides recording conversations, the company also retains some information even after you close your account with it. For instance, if you’re Muslim, it may be important to ensure that your device is not recording the Quran. The US intelligence agencies have been monitoring Muslims since 9/11, and this could pose a privacy risk.
