Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Do you love Alexa? Why?!

100 replies

wakemewhenitsallover · 28/12/2019 03:42

My 11yo was given an Echo Dot by a family member.

Personally I hate the fucking things. I don't want a robot listening to everything we say. It feels like an intrusion. Plus it annoys me that it's a woman's voice - reinforcing the idea women are the service class. And DS and DD fight over it.

But - relative has presented gift, DS loves it so I can hardly take it off him (without a good reason anyway).

So, can anyone explain to me what the use of it is? How do you use yours? What good is it? Can I learn to like it?

I want to say DS should keep it in his room as I don't want it in the front room - but is that a bad idea? He's not allowed to use his computer in his room as a measure to keep him safe online.

OP posts:
elastamum · 28/12/2019 17:08

I gave ours away after reading Surveillance Capitalism. I never used it as I hate being spied on.

Bluntness100 · 28/12/2019 17:08

Always find it mind boggling how many folks genuinely seem to think Amazon is spying on you because what you want for dinner is so interesting.

I've four. They are all linked, and two are connected also to high end blue tooth speakers. As such, over Xmas for example, there were eight of us here for four days, the same music was played throughout downstairs and my guests could control it when they wished.

So for example, Alexa, play BRUCE Springsteen's greatest hits everywhere. ,,,alexa connect to blue tooth, ,,,Alexa volume eight.

And job done.

elastamum · 28/12/2019 17:17

They are collecting huge amounts of data on everything you do so they can manipulate you and sell your data. They pretty much operate outside the law. It amazes me that nobody cares.

JoshLymanIsHotterThanSam · 28/12/2019 17:21

Also boggling at the idea of echo dots spying on me....they’ll soon switch off-all they’ll learn is I’m loud and sweary (usually at inanimate objects).
We have 4 dots in the house and two of my kids have bought themselves smart light bulbs to go with them.

NoBlueXmasLightsAllowed · 28/12/2019 18:51

It's scary how people don't realise how snippets of seemingly trivial information can be pieced together and used by companies.

FireUnderpants · 28/12/2019 18:54

Amazon have definitely learnt about my terrible maths skills and awful music taste.

CherryPlum · 28/12/2019 18:58

Could someone give an example of information that could be gathered and used against me, because I can't think of anything whatsoever that would be of interest to a company spying on me.

We have a few Alexa's and use them quite a bit.

Original poster
wakemewhenitsallover · 28/12/2019 19:02

CherryPlum do you buy things?

If so, your lifestyle and habits are of interest to companies who want you to spend your money with them.

OP posts:
FireUnderpants · 28/12/2019 19:04

So they can put their adverts on your Facebook news feed but they can't actually make anyone buy their stuff can they?

dementedma · 28/12/2019 19:09

I hate them and was angry when DH bought one. so far it has been used to tell stupid jokes and play music. Pointless. I hope to bin it at the first opportunity.

fascinated · 28/12/2019 19:10

It is not a she

It is an it

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 28/12/2019 19:12

I went from bit wanting one but D's bought me one and I love it.

Fantastic for timers when cooking.
Love it for playing music
Alarms

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 28/12/2019 19:13

Oh and shopping lists!

CherryPlum · 28/12/2019 19:13

Wakemewhenitsallover that doesn't sound too bad - I don't see how any harm can be done by a company knowing what stuff I buy

Original poster
wakemewhenitsallover · 28/12/2019 19:32

I don't see how any harm can be done by a company knowing what stuff I buy

It's not just about knowing what you buy. It's also about learning how to manipulate you to buy things you wouldn't otherwise- to make you think you need things or that you prefer one brand over another, or one political party over another. Facebook were condemned for doing experiments on Facebook users to see if they could manipulate our emotions (they could).

Anyone who works in digital marketing will know how scarily easily manipulated we all are.

OP posts:
userxx · 28/12/2019 19:44

I was bought one as a present, does it so anything more than my iPad?

MrsAmaretto · 28/12/2019 19:45

I use mine for the following

  • shopping list
  • radio
  • spotify
  • podcasts/audible books
  • alarms/timer
  • double checking if actors/singers/politicians are dead when having discussions with my mother.
Original poster
wakemewhenitsallover · 28/12/2019 19:45

they can put their adverts on your Facebook news feed but they can't actually make anyone buy their stuff can they?

Yes, they can and they do. On an indivudual level, digital marketers can't say how any individual will act. But they can increasingly accurately predict how groups of people will respond based on past data. eg put a contact page on every page of your website, double your enquires* / send an email promoting a new range, know from experience that about 30% will open the email, 11% will click through to website, 2% will buy something (made up stats).

How a button on a website is designed has a measurable effect in how many people click it - the colour, size, position, text, how it responds to hovering etc. People clicking the button have no idea they're being influenced by these things, but digital marketers have access to data on this that enables them to manipulate us into doing what they want us to do. Not all of us, all of the time but enough of us, enough of the time to be very effective. None of us are immune, most of the time we're unaware how any of this affects our decision making.

*real example

OP posts:
Bluntness100 · 28/12/2019 19:46

also about learning how to manipulate you to buy things you wouldn't otherwise

What, like tracking cookies you mean? 🤣

Aposterhasnoname · 28/12/2019 19:52

Ok, so Alexa has listened to DH and I deciding to have fishfingers for tea, sent this info back to Amazon, who sell it to Birdseye. How does Birdseye then target me with the ads for their fishfingers?

happytobemrsg · 28/12/2019 19:55

I got mine for Christmas & I LOVE it. I use it to remind me to do things but mainly for the music. We play music much more often & have lots of impromptu dances with the kids

cheninblanc · 28/12/2019 19:57

I was adamant we weren't having one, my dd was gifted one last year by mil and now we have 4!!I have light bulbs, hive, spotify. As my daughters come home from school alone and its dark the lights and TV are on, I also change the times to adjust for different clubs, same with the heating. We all love Spotify and doing quizzes. I'm converted and am sure that we'll get more add ons, we have five lighbulbs through three bedrooms, front room and porch

TalbotAMan · 28/12/2019 20:01

I don't love Alexa.

I love Google who is far, far cleverer.

absolutelyknackeredcow · 28/12/2019 20:05

We have a number of them which we bought mainly as an intercom system - you can do announcements or drop in to rooms. I have a mobility problem which when it flares up makes climbing stairs really quite tough.
I can drop in to kids room and tell them dinner is ready or they have five minutes of reading before lights out without climbing the sodding stairs.
Really makes a difference.
Also
Christmas countdown was fun as is timestable games and the morning routines

Aposterhasnoname · 28/12/2019 20:08

talbot what can google do that Alexa can’t? Bought DD a google for Christmas as I’d heard that was the case, but not sure of the details.