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The fact that this article exists actually makes me sad as well. But because Alexa isn't eavesdropping on us and believing this is the tech equivalent of antiv

The fact that this article exists actually makes me sad as well. But because Alexa isn't eavesdropping on us and believing this is the tech equivalent of antivaxxers: "If you don't believe it, you're part of the conspiracy"

cowmoo728 7y ago
Vaccines can't be remotely enabled to spy on you. For example, if you buy a laptop from the internet and the CIA or NSA wants to spy on you, they can easily intercept the laptop in shipment and tamper with it. https://www.theverge.com/2013/12/29/5253226/nsa-cia-fbi-laptop-usb-plant-spy https://www.theverge.com/2013/12/29/5253226/nsa-cia-fbi-lapt... They could also compel Amazon to install an update that makes your Alexa record everything.
- bencollier49 7y ago
  > Vaccines can't be remotely enabled to spy on you. That's what they want you to think. /s
- javagram 7y ago
  The CIA ran a fake vaccination program to catch Bin Laden. That doesn’t make vaccines bad though.
falcolas 7y ago
Do you recall the “ghost” incident, where Alexa believed she was being asked to laugh? What was Alexa hearing in your everyday life to believe that not only the trigger word, but the whole phrase was being said aloud? Also, do you recall the fix? They remotely changed the activation phrase that triggered the laugh. Do you recall the Google home devices with a minor physical flaw that caused the pucks to record and transmit everything? Do you recall how these recordings are given to third parties to evaluate to improve the quality of the service? I guess what I’m trying to say is that we don’t know when or if these devices are recording us. Yes, the same is true with our phones as well (though this bracelet from the article would work on them too). It might not be out of malice, but its safe to say that we as the customers have no real idea of how much they hear.
- bestnameever 7y ago
  > Also, do you recall the fix? They remotely changed the activation phrase that triggered the laugh. I don't see that as a big deal as the data is likely always sent to a remote server for parsing and processing.
  - evan_ 7y ago
    It (supposedly) listens for the wake word locally and doesn’t transmit until it hears it.
    - bestnameever 7y ago
      sure but that doesn't change. the wake word doesn't change. the only thing that changed was the phrase which caused the laugh.
      - falcolas 7y ago
        The wake word can, at least with Alexa, be changed remotely. There are limited options, at least today. Also, the firmware on these devices is remotely updatable. Even when you can't today, you may be able to tomorrow.
- HereBeBeasties 7y ago
  Bugs notwithstanding, this is just FUD. You can go to the Amazon Echo app and listen to all the recordings. I'd be far more worried about the invasion of privacy caused by it listening to everyone's shopping lists.

cowmoo728 7y ago

Vaccines can't be remotely enabled to spy on you. For example, if you buy a laptop from the internet and the CIA or NSA wants to spy on you, they can easily intercept the laptop in shipment and tamper with it. https://www.theverge.com/2013/12/29/5253226/nsa-cia-fbi-laptop-usb-plant-spy https://www.theverge.com/2013/12/29/5253226/nsa-cia-fbi-lapt... They could also compel Amazon to install an update that makes your Alexa record everything.

bencollier49 7y ago
> Vaccines can't be remotely enabled to spy on you. That's what they want you to think. /s
javagram 7y ago
The CIA ran a fake vaccination program to catch Bin Laden. That doesn’t make vaccines bad though.

falcolas 7y ago

Do you recall the “ghost” incident, where Alexa believed she was being asked to laugh? What was Alexa hearing in your everyday life to believe that not only the trigger word, but the whole phrase was being said aloud? Also, do you recall the fix? They remotely changed the activation phrase that triggered the laugh. Do you recall the Google home devices with a minor physical flaw that caused the pucks to record and transmit everything? Do you recall how these recordings are given to third parties to evaluate to improve the quality of the service? I guess what I’m trying to say is that we don’t know when or if these devices are recording us. Yes, the same is true with our phones as well (though this bracelet from the article would work on them too). It might not be out of malice, but its safe to say that we as the customers have no real idea of how much they hear.

bestnameever 7y ago
> Also, do you recall the fix? They remotely changed the activation phrase that triggered the laugh. I don't see that as a big deal as the data is likely always sent to a remote server for parsing and processing.
- evan_ 7y ago
  It (supposedly) listens for the wake word locally and doesn’t transmit until it hears it.
  - bestnameever 7y ago
    sure but that doesn't change. the wake word doesn't change. the only thing that changed was the phrase which caused the laugh.
    - falcolas 7y ago
      The wake word can, at least with Alexa, be changed remotely. There are limited options, at least today. Also, the firmware on these devices is remotely updatable. Even when you can't today, you may be able to tomorrow.
HereBeBeasties 7y ago
Bugs notwithstanding, this is just FUD. You can go to the Amazon Echo app and listen to all the recordings. I'd be far more worried about the invasion of privacy caused by it listening to everyone's shopping lists.