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?

Clearly she thinks you are warm enough!! 😂

We're on a losing battle though. Try finding a new TV that doesn't have an inbuilt alexa-type device. Even our new dishwasher is smart. DH had to download an app just to turn the app option off!

You don’t need to enable the Alexa thing

Those with issues about it potentially listening when it’s not meant to be, what do you talk about that’s really so interesting?

I’m genuinely shocked people have these devices in children’s bedrooms! Kids are of an age where they don’t understand the risks yet
so they can’t consent to this. Having said that, it’s apparent many adults don’t either.

Yes who on earth cares

Only the highly suggestible and easily freaked out. I would also venture to suggest some of the stories you read are made up.

Data gathering. You’re being very naive.

It’s irrelevant whether or not it’s something worth listening to, privacy is an essential.

EVERY single call you make email you send text you send is monitored by AI at GCHQ
That is how they have stopped many terrorist attacks worldwide

I assume that there would be more people keen to find out what the billionaire Zuckerberg is doing on his laptop than there would be wanting to find out about what I'm up to on mine - he would be at a real risk of hackers.

The benefit is not to you - it is the treasure trove of data that can be used to measure you and sell to you and influence your life.

I find Alexa very beneficial in so many ways - podcasts, radio, music, recipes, shopping lists, etc.

We are monitored/tracked 24/7 whether we like it or not, via mobile phone, laptop, viewing habits, etc. Our data is everywhere.

So every home must be monitored?

As demonstrated on this thread alone, the security on these things is questionable so even if you’re not worried about the commoditisation of your family life, at least be aware of the risk of hacking or threat. And at the VERY least understand how the thing omnipresent in your house works in terms of authentication and security.

Considering this post -

surreygirly · Today 10:04
EVERY single call you make email you send text you send is monitored by AI at GCHQ
That is how they have stopped many terrorist attacks worldwide

I doubt you’ll get a sensible reply.

Digitally, yes. I agree and I am very mindful of that.
However these devices extend that range of monitoring to offline human-human in-person interaction. That’s the extra step many of us looked at and rejected. But each to their own so long as you are happy with your own risk assessment for you and yours.

DH and I got back from holiday and at 3am in the morning and every morning after until the cause and culprit were discovered played K Pop at
top volume.

The culprit, my DGD, who thought it was very funny!

She had done it through her Alexa device at home - mischief!

Say “Alexa delete everything I have said”.

Alexa is technology and does glitch from time to time.

There was a glitch a few years ago where Alexa randomly laughed. That was creepy. She probably heard a neighbour through the walls or something. A lot of the time, what she hears isn't even in the room.

Is this example not terrifying though? If your granddaughter can do this so easily (and assuming she’s isn’t a tech expert) can you imagine what someone with nefarious intent and the expertise and resources could so easily do. Or what could be done at scale.
People at least implement basic security on your domestic devices!
Do you ever discuss finance at home? Telephone your bank? How easy would it be for a bad actor to harm you financially? And that’s just one very obvious example.
I have to leave this thread now to go and work (on this sort of stuff but at corporate level where there is no way in hell these devices would ever be permitted :D )

I don't think it's "interesting" conversations people are worried about. We just want privacy in our own homes. Wouldn't you mind if you had a group of random people outside your front door trying to listen to your conversations through the letter box? Or peeking through your windows?

My daughter was playing a video game with her cousin and said “I’m going to kill myself in a minute” (meaning her character in the game) and the Alexa immediately started reading out the number for the Samaritans just as I opened the door to the postman 😂. It picked up on what she was saying even without saying “Alexa…” first.

I don’t really care who overhears my dh moaning about work or us talking about what to watch on telly 🤷🏻‍♀️

Quite. So have you got rid of it?

You don't have to get a smart TV. You can just get a big screen and stream from your laptop. Bonus points if you install Linux on on the laptop. The only way to be private is to get rid of all smart devices that don't need to be smart or at least don't hook them up to the internet. I have a smart dishwasher, but it's not connected to the internet. I just use the features it has build in that I can access with the buttons. But I am kinda pissed off that I need an app to get all the features to work, even though I refuse to do it.

It's tricky with a phone, because there are so many apps we rely on now, but ditch every other smart device. You don't need it and it will just spy on you and eventually serve you ads, like those ridiculous Samsung fridges.

I agree. It's like when phones listen to your conversations then an ad pops up with the product/subject of your conversations! Very scary 😨