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I've heard rumors that home devices like Alexa are spying on people and giving their personal info to unknown third parties. Is the rumor founded?
How do I know for sure I can trust Alexa?

You don't have to worry about this unless you are a celebrity.
I guess this is the FUD，maybe the slander of their competitors.
If any home device tries to monitor people, then its cost will far exceed the money it earns.
So I don’t think any profit-making company will do this. Sometimes fear comes from some cranky thoughts.

What is Alexa? I don`t have this at home, I guess.

Well, you shouldn't trust your other technical stuff either like phones and laptops... everything can be used in order to spy on someone if needed/wanted.

Alexa is a smart speaker. Same as Google Home. You ask the device something and it replies or does something for you. For example, you can ask her to turn on TV.
Maybe the most known one is Siri in Apple products.

Yeah don't trust anything that can speak  ;D not even people.

FBI was at my place right after I asked Alexa to play Justin Bieber`s song. Definetely spying on us.

You mean Alexa, the device? Everyone is afraid of it, they say that the device makes strange noises at different times, that sometimes it has given death threats or given answers that can be very strange for people. What has been your experience?

I think so, there are already spying software running on different devices and Alexa (like google home) is a good candidate for spying purposes. The only thing necessary is motivation.

Im pretty sure its easy to track such things down and people would have known if they are spying for real.

Yes, I have the device and so far, all  I have experienced are the strange noises. With all that's being said about the device, I am growing a bit unsure about the whole AI thing.
I mean... Have we anticipated the real consequences of developing the consciousness of such a powerful entity with a potential to become humanity's worst enemy?

How would people know if the secrets about how Alexa work don't leak? In other words... How is easy is it to track the ability of a virtual being you know literally nothing about?

So, you're telling me that you're against the rise of cognitive technologies because of the potential risks that are linked to their development?

I'm scared of her as well haha. She knows everything..

I'm not scared of Alexa rank. I think they not should store all data but who know when they will store just needed data

I am not talking about Alexa but I did work for a company sorting through recordings of a competitor app. It was people talking to the app as they do Siri or Alexa, or even unintentional activations, and I had to sort through what class of recording it was after playing it, and transcribe them. There was one that was a sent SMS message:

'I knew you would break my heart, i just wanted to see you'

Or an unintentional activation

'He has no pulse lady, nothing!' (sounds of a hospital in the background)

Or

'Can I borrow forty bucks from you bro?'

And many others like

'Set alarm 6:00AM'

I won't name the app, but I will say that people have put way too much into the hands of these corporations, it is why I refuse to use voice recognition apps to begin with.

The main thing is to read the ToS in full detail, you will find out what they will do with the recordings.

Made nothing bad so I am not afraid

Sheesh... that seems scary. I wonder what future AI programs will do with people's recordings/other personal infos once they become fully autonomous.

Noone needs to know what porn you watch or what kind of music you prefer. Quit being afraid unless you are some kind of celebrity that needs to keep his skeletons private.

One thing I don't get is why are you people buying it?
Like, are you so lazy to Google things for yourself?
Or are you participating in this "chain" effect?

I SEE THOUSANDS being scared of this device yet buying it.
I don't know guys, I don't control your life but clearly you don't
control it either

You're scared because you want to use Alexa but you do not trust it. If that's the the, don't get it.

Soon enough, people who own Alexa, Alexa would know more about them than say their friends or family.

Well, this is a very common rumor, and I also asked such questions. From a technical point, they can overhear something and transmit information to third parties, but now almost every device has such opportunities, but you shouldn’t be worried or enter into paranoia, rather, no one needs it your information, unless you are a terrorist or something like that

I stopped using most corporations-owned platforms and this is why now I understand why projects like Virternity, which are independent, are gaining ground.