Alexa recorded private conversation and sent it to someone in contact list

[ElderflowerWaterIsDelish]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-44248122

Aibu to be wary about ever buying one of these after knowing it can do that?

(although I still kind of want one for the other features it can do)

You directly quoted me. Twice.

Mission I have done that but they were kids' game apps. Would they be listening to me sing, Shazamming me and looking up songs?

Confusion reigns I see :)

Not sure Jingly but kids apps tend to have way more adverts and "lures" than adult ones so possibly!

I love Alexa. Of course it has to listen as it needs to hear the Alexa word. I do not think anyone is listening in and recording my conversation. People are very paranoid these days

It's the internet of things, innit. Makes me want to buy 2nd hand everything forever. I'd rather not be listened to in my own home, thanks.

You do seem very confused, Raven.

Disabilities aside, I don't think being able to do things like switch lights off by voice command is a good thing. As a society, people need to be doing more physical activity not less. When you're at the point where able-bodied people don't want to get up to switch their own lights off or stand in the kitchen while the kettle boils and more and more things are becoming connected and 'smart'... That's not going to end up anywhere positive.

Considering that I have all sorts of conversations with friends in my daily commute, the risks posed by Alexa seem almost benign.

I love Alexa. Of course it has to listen as it needs to hear the Alexa word. I do not think anyone is listening in and recording my conversation. People are very paranoid these days

That's not what the story is. The story is about Alexa recording a private conversation without being prompted to wake up and then sending it to someone. This is not about paranoia, it's about maintaining your privacy.
On the other hand, if you just post a photo of the front and reverse side of your credit card over here, everything will be just fine.

Creepy. I won't have one. I can turn my own lights on and off.

Apparently there are some that now have (or will soon have, can't remember if they're on sale or due out shortly) cameras in - suggesting that they would be great for video calling people or watching your kids play upstairs while you're downstairs, as a nannycam and so on. Also said there were bedroom versions.

Can you just imagine how much worse this is going to be if / when they are not only listening but watching? And it's not going to be long before people are able to hack them to listen in, figure out when people are having sex or getting undressed and then record it... and download it or let others view it or ring great aunt maude and video conference her in to watch...

The mind boggles. and boggles a bit more. Horrendous and yet people see this as progress

Considering that I have all sorts of conversations with friends in my daily commute, the risks posed by Alexa seem almost benign.

Keep telling yourself that being overheard by a few people on a train is the same as a device recording yours and your family's entire daily life and potentially putting the information into the hands of god knows who. Especially after the Cambridge Analytica scandal. The people who design these devices have no scruples. You can bet your butt that in a few years time an Alexa scandal is going to emerge.

Meh, if Alexa wants to listen to me telling my cats that they’re the most beautiful cats ever/that they’re little shits then she can do.

@PeakPants
I don't have an Alexa, and don't plan on getting one. I'm just musing about privacy issues.

I don't think I need one in my house yet, but I'm not worried about the "listening" thing. I read somewhere about how the listening technology works and I think they only actively listen for the trigger word, i.e. "Alexa" before they start then trying to listen and interpret commands.
You can see on your wifi router at home they they're not constantly sending large packets of data anywhere so they can't be constantly recording all your conversations. And they can't store them locally as they don't have memory capacity for it.

There's also been drama over the Facebook app on your phone listening to you when you have the app open. There was a story about a non-spanish family who had something on the TV in spanish, next thing Facebook starts showing ads for spanish products.

You've got to be careful with anything that either has a microphone or any apps that request access to the mic on your device.

We have one in the kitchen. I use it to listen to music when washing up etc as it's good to be able to change music with wet hands when I'm not actually using it I turn it off at the mains.

I'm usually all for a gadget but there's no way I'm having one of those things sitting in my house listening to conversations and having shopping sprees at my expense.

While I'm able bodied and just about mentally competent, there's no way that bitch is entering my house. I'm very, very dubious, and have been from the start. I don't even have a smart tv or smartphone, and Location is switched off on my tablet ("Google needs to know your location" Do you fuck, you sinister bastard). No, no, no.

This is why I'm never getting an Alexa.

Mind you, I should probably be more careful with my phone. Deleting the fb app would be a good start, but it's just so damn handy.

A cheapo (£8) bluetooth speaker paired to my tablet, which has a 128GB micro SD card in it, so can hold all my music, allows me to listen to music in my kitchen, or anywhere else in my house, for that matter.

I'll buy one when it can do night feeds and the school run.
I can see how helpful they can be to someone disabled regarding lights etc but it's not something I would use.

You can block some or calls from/to your Alexa. This story shows the owner error not a problem with the device.

Spotify and a Bluetooth speaker system is all I need with regards to music.

Nah, I've watched too many episodes of Black Mirror

I don't want my home all connectivity-ed up, and I already have stuff that does all the things. I like to see visual information like calendars & clocks, and I'm fucked off enough by having a fridge and dishwasher that beep at me without buying some other device to nag me.