Alexa has just whispered to me - freaked out.

[FavouritePJs]

My Alexa has just whispered to me and I couldn’t understand what it said, I asked her to repeat and she told me there was nothing to repeat. I’ve played it back in the app and it sounded like a male saying “Alexa drop” it’s nobody in our house and we dont use Alexa drop. I have unplugged it but feel (stupidly) frightened by it. My husband is on a nightshift - I don’t think I’ll sleep. My daughter doesn’t seem to think that anyone can just drop in but if it wasn’t that, what was it?

It was just a randomly generated string of letters. We had an entertaining couple of days afterwards coming up with an exclusion list of words that the software checked before sending out a code in future, it's amazing how many swearwords and offensive terms you can fit into 6 letters!

For those worried about these devices ‘listening’ and wouldn’t have one, do you also not use a smartphone?

The Librem 5 and Sailfish OS both exist for this reason.

I don't personally - I use an old Nokia

Yes I have and I also cover the camera on the front of my laptop ever since a former boss "popped up" unannounced on my screen while I was working from home". I immediately put my finger on the camera lens to stop him looking at me while I switched the camera off on the software side. I found out then that different apps can switch your camera back on without your knowledge - not nice.
Also, I worked for many years in IT.
It's made me very cautious.

Btw Mark Zuckerberg was photographed in front of his laptop several years ago and had cellotape over the camera lens. I recommend everyone follow suit.

Which film is that?

2001: A Space Odyssey.

@DurinsBane

2001: A Space Odyssey

snap!

@JoClogs you misread @Talltreesbythelake's question - she asks how you've disabled the mic...

You do so in the settings which depends on the Operating System and brand of laptop/computer.

Google and youtube can assist anyone with this - lots of helpful techies show how it's done.

If you can only turn the mic off with software, a three-letter agency can turn it back on with software without your knowledge.

Yet I'm aware of only Librem and Framework who create laptops with hardware privacy switches on the mics. It is no accident that all other laptops have a built-in mic that is permanently connected.

OP maybe don't watch this