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Original poster

Alexa has just whispered to me - freaked out.

237 replies

FavouritePJs · 04/12/2025 23:07

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?

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u3ername · 05/12/2025 12:36

godmum56 · 05/12/2025 12:33

you can have a male voice if you prefer. Mine is a male Aussie.

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Really? Does he answer to Alexa or you call him something else?

LifeInAHamsterWheel · 05/12/2025 12:39

caringcarer · 04/12/2025 23:59

My Alexa turns on electric blanket for me but very occasionally she just won't do it and I get a bit freaked out by that.

I would LOVE my Alexa to do that!! How do you do it? (apologies for being a bit thick, I only ever use it to set alarms/tell me the time/do calculations!)

u3ername · 05/12/2025 12:39

godmum56 · 05/12/2025 12:33

I must be an outlier. I have got a few Echo devices around the house, mainly used to turn stuff on and off via smart plugs. They all behave themselves. I use MN and FB but no other social media. and have never had ads pop up for things I have been talking about or even done searches for except if I have directly searched on Amazon and then when I go back to Amazon, my previous searches appear. I will say that I use Apple stuff and very good security on my tech.

I don’t have eco dot or Alexa etc but after visiting my mum and talking to her about a sofa she wants to buy I was straight away bombarded with sofa ads for the first time ever so it was very noticeable a device (my Apple phone) had picked it up. Crazy world we’ve created, eh.

(Just to add I definitely didn’t type anything about a sofa in a search engine etc. It was just a conversation.)

caringcarer · 05/12/2025 12:41

LifeInAHamsterWheel · 05/12/2025 12:39

I would LOVE my Alexa to do that!! How do you do it? (apologies for being a bit thick, I only ever use it to set alarms/tell me the time/do calculations!)

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You need Alexa plug. Then plug leccy blanky into that.

UnctuousUnicorns · 05/12/2025 12:47

Silverwinged · 05/12/2025 10:38

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.

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We don't have smart TVs either. We've had Chromecasts connected to our televisions for years, which we use to stream music, programmes, films etc. from our phones or tablets.

godmum56 · 05/12/2025 12:52

u3ername · 05/12/2025 12:36

Really? Does he answer to Alexa or you call him something else?

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still Alexa. there are 5 wake word options which are alexa, computer, amazon, echo or ziggy.

godmum56 · 05/12/2025 12:54

u3ername · 05/12/2025 12:39

I don’t have eco dot or Alexa etc but after visiting my mum and talking to her about a sofa she wants to buy I was straight away bombarded with sofa ads for the first time ever so it was very noticeable a device (my Apple phone) had picked it up. Crazy world we’ve created, eh.

(Just to add I definitely didn’t type anything about a sofa in a search engine etc. It was just a conversation.)

Edited
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I have siri turned off.

Andromed1 · 05/12/2025 12:59

breezyyy · 05/12/2025 11:12

What article are you speaking of?

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Sorry, I thought I was quoting another poster, and now I can't find her post. It mentioned an article about an experiment in which robots were programmed to negotiate with each other, they 'invented a new language which the scientists didn't understand', and they switched them off out of fear. In fact the language was very simple to understand, but not what the experiment was looking for. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-40790258

Arnold Schwarzenegger and The Terminator prop

The 'creepy Facebook AI' story that captivated the media

Did Facebook shut down two bots speaking to themselves because the company feared for humanity?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-40790258

JoClogs · 05/12/2025 13:03

Great interview with Godfather of AI Geoffrey Hinton on the dangers of the technology he helped to build:

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music that you love, upload original content and share it all with friends, family and the world on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giT0ytynSqg

Slothsandspiderman · 05/12/2025 13:16

Read Linda Green’s The woman with all the answers.

CustardySergeant · 05/12/2025 13:21

ChristmasMantleStatue · 05/12/2025 07:28

Lord I am so glad I don't have an Alexa.

I had a colleague whose Alexa used to come on at 2 in the morning playing the song she played at her late teen son's funeral.

Turned out it was her arsehole ex (not the father of the deceased boy) sneaking around to her house, standing by the kitchen window and giving the Alexa instructions through the window. Imagine the kind of person you have to be to do that.

What an appalling, sick and cruel thing to do! That's truly shocking.

Burnnoticed · 05/12/2025 13:30

Mixerfixer · 05/12/2025 10:30

Quite. So have you got rid of it?

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That sounds like a good response though!

EmeraldRoulette · 05/12/2025 15:37

HideousKinky · 05/12/2025 08:06

Some years previously we were having a conversation about her employer (one of the big tech companies) in a room where there was an Alexa.

She raised her hand to indicate a pause when I asked her a question, crossed the room and switched it off before answering.

I said incredulously "Why did you do that? Is it listening?" and she just shrugged.

Her work is designing these things but I have always noticed she does not have one herself.
So yes, you can switch it off. I prefer, like her, simply not to have one

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@HideousKinky confused by this post

Of course it's listening. That's literally why people get one.

But you had one? And now you don't? So you must know that because you got it so it could listen to you and do stuff for you.

HideousKinky · 05/12/2025 15:47

EmeraldRoulette · 05/12/2025 15:37

@HideousKinky confused by this post

Of course it's listening. That's literally why people get one.

But you had one? And now you don't? So you must know that because you got it so it could listen to you and do stuff for you.

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NO I didn't have one and nor did she.

We were not in my home or hers

EmeraldRoulette · 05/12/2025 19:47

@HideousKinky I wouldn't switch off Alexa in someone else's house, hence my confusion.

haXXor · 05/12/2025 20:43

u3ername · 05/12/2025 12:31

This thread made me realise why they picked a female voice/ name. Imagine a man voice in that scenario.

It's also because techbros would rather boss a woman around than a man.

Mothership4two · 05/12/2025 21:39

haXXor · 05/12/2025 20:43

It's also because techbros would rather boss a woman around than a man.

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There was substantial market research into why people prefered female voices for their satnavs and it's probably the same for this

Mothership4two · 05/12/2025 21:42

godmum56 · 05/12/2025 12:33

you can have a male voice if you prefer. Mine is a male Aussie.

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My son has a female Aussie voice. Not sure why? We have distant Aussie relatives and one through marriage, but other than that no real connection. I guess they sound friendlier?

I wanted Irish but it couldn't stretch to that

JoClogs · 05/12/2025 22:08

If you are having private conversations or engaging in private activities in the safety of your own home, Alexa or Siri will be listening and so will contract workers somewhere around the globe doing "quality control" etc on how the device is working/responding to instruction.

Stop and think about that for a moment or two.
Ditto if you are having an argument which is then recorded and listened to by 3rd party contractors...
I wouldn't have these devices anywhere in my home.
It's like inviting the Stasi in.

climbintheback · 05/12/2025 22:18

Do you mean my one?

LemaxObsessive · 05/12/2025 22:28

@VimesandhisCardboardBootsThat was a very memorable post in two different ways! 😆 Where on earth did SXCUNT even come from?!

MNLurker1345 · 05/12/2025 22:34

DogPawsMudFur · 05/12/2025 10:22

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 )

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No, not terrifying by any means. A prank on a
linked account is a different thing to a hack.

I embrace technology, we are in the 21st century after all.

As aware as I am of the benefits of technology, I am also aware of the need for security. To benefit from the inbuilt security measure available one has to be knowledgeable.

My DGD can prank her DGma with K Pop but I don’t think she would be of much use to the Kemlin.

CantHaveTooMuchChocolate · 06/12/2025 00:54

Savoury · 05/12/2025 07:16

It stores seconds and then discards it. Think of it like sampling.
There is no way Amazon could afford to store all the verbal output in Alexa enabled households - it would be punitively expensive in storage costs alone.
I won’t have one in my bedroom though as the idea of the kids dropping in freaks me out. (Anyone outside the household can’t drop in unannounced).

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You’re wrong. Not only does it transcribe them and save them, but also admits that they listen in on conversations. Still want this listening in to all your conversations 24/7?

https://www.techspot.com/news/107175-amazon-removing-option-local-alexa-processing-forcing-all.html

https://www.techspot.com/news/79610-thousands-amazon-workers-listening-alexa-conversations.html

https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2023/05/ftc-doj-charge-amazon-violating-childrens-privacy-law-keeping-kids-alexa-voice-recordings-forever

FTC and DOJ Charge Amazon with Violating Children’s Privacy Law by Keeping Kids’ Alexa Voice Recordings Forever and Undermining Parents’ Deletion Requests

The Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice will require Amazon to overhaul its deletion practices and implement stringent privacy safeguards to settle charges the

https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2023/05/ftc-doj-charge-amazon-violating-childrens-privacy-law-keeping-kids-alexa-voice-recordings-forever

Mumteedum · 06/12/2025 09:21

Well mine connected to my phone at 4am and my audiobook started playing. That woke me up with a start as a man's voice booming out!

Talltreesbythelake · 06/12/2025 09:26

JoClogs · 05/12/2025 22:08

If you are having private conversations or engaging in private activities in the safety of your own home, Alexa or Siri will be listening and so will contract workers somewhere around the globe doing "quality control" etc on how the device is working/responding to instruction.

Stop and think about that for a moment or two.
Ditto if you are having an argument which is then recorded and listened to by 3rd party contractors...
I wouldn't have these devices anywhere in my home.
It's like inviting the Stasi in.

What device are you posting from? How have you disabled the microphone and shielded it from all the tech giants?