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Just curious, don't you have any privacy concerns having something that is potentially listening to you at all times? > Despite this it still feels very limite

Just curious, don't you have any privacy concerns having something that is potentially listening to you at all times? > Despite this it still feels very limited. Yes, I was actually thinking about this before posting the comment. It can be kind of useful but for very basic things. On mobiles phones is it possible to call emergency services through it?

malablaster 3y ago
What specifically are you concerned about?
- liendolucas 3y ago
  Long time ago I have read an article that was not explicitly about voice assistants, but in this article it was described how a Samsung TV with a microphone was actually hacked and made a surveillance device. Here's a link to this, but again not sure if this was the article I read at a time: https://theintercept.com/2017/03/07/wikileaks-dump-shows-cia-could-turn-smart-tvs-into-listening-devices/ https://theintercept.com/2017/03/07/wikileaks-dump-shows-cia... Edit: So, would you trust something that is there with an open microphone 24hs?
Jochim 3y ago
> Just curious, don't you have any privacy concerns having something that is potentially listening to you at all times? Absolutely, although I have similar concerns about any device with a microphone and network connection. Ultimately it was a trade-off, when an OSS alternative of comparable quality exists I'll switch when I have time. The OSS options have come along a fair bit in the last few years and they seem to be quicker at integrating LLMs. Quality hardware seems to be the biggest barrier. > Yes, I was actually thinking about this before posting the comment. It can be kind of useful but for very basic things. On mobiles phones is it possible to call emergency services through it? I'd assume so, I don't use it much on my phone but I can ask one of the dedicated Alexa devices to call regular phone numbers/contacts and it'll use my phone plan to do so.

malablaster 3y ago

What specifically are you concerned about?

liendolucas 3y ago
Long time ago I have read an article that was not explicitly about voice assistants, but in this article it was described how a Samsung TV with a microphone was actually hacked and made a surveillance device. Here's a link to this, but again not sure if this was the article I read at a time: https://theintercept.com/2017/03/07/wikileaks-dump-shows-cia-could-turn-smart-tvs-into-listening-devices/ https://theintercept.com/2017/03/07/wikileaks-dump-shows-cia... Edit: So, would you trust something that is there with an open microphone 24hs?

Jochim 3y ago

> Just curious, don't you have any privacy concerns having something that is potentially listening to you at all times? Absolutely, although I have similar concerns about any device with a microphone and network connection. Ultimately it was a trade-off, when an OSS alternative of comparable quality exists I'll switch when I have time. The OSS options have come along a fair bit in the last few years and they seem to be quicker at integrating LLMs. Quality hardware seems to be the biggest barrier. > Yes, I was actually thinking about this before posting the comment. It can be kind of useful but for very basic things. On mobiles phones is it possible to call emergency services through it? I'd assume so, I don't use it much on my phone but I can ask one of the dedicated Alexa devices to call regular phone numbers/contacts and it'll use my phone plan to do so.