Alexa's storing of conversations risks the exposure of personal data
Amazon's Alex has removed a setting that let owners opt out of sending voice commands to the company.
Now, Alexa is listening to everything around it and storing those conversations potentially indefinitely on Amazon's servers, The Washington Post reports.
The risks to privacy, and potential exposure through hacking or data breaches, are big.
"You dont know when humans are listening to your recordings saved in Amazons cloud," Washington Post columnist Shira Ovide writes."You dont know whether Amazon is accidentally sending your voice recordings to a stranger or saving what you say even if you dont trigger Alexa with a 'wake'word."
Follow these steps to stop Alexa from listening
- Open the Alexa phone app.
- Open Settings.
- Head to "Alexa Privacy" and "Manage Your Alexa Data."
- Select "Don't save recordings."
What else can be doneto improve privacy with Alexa?
If you are still concerned about Alexa listening in, consider moving the device to less intimate areas of the home.
Another option is to unplug your Alexa device when you aren't using it.
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Posted: 2025-03-25 17:06:31
