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Woman says her Amazon device recorded private conversation, sent it out to random con

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  • Woman says her Amazon device recorded private conversation, sent it out to random con



    A Portland family contacted Amazon to investigate after they say a private conversation in their home was recorded by Amazon's Alexa -- the voice-controlled smart speaker -- and that the recorded audio was sent to the phone of a random person in Seattle, who was in the family’s contact list.

    "My husband and I would joke and say I'd bet these devices are listening to what we're saying," said Danielle, who did not want us to use her last name.
    Related Headlines


    Every room in her family home was wired with the Amazon devices to control her home's heat, lights and security system.

    But Danielle said two weeks ago their love for Alexa changed with an alarming phone call. "The person on the other line said, 'unplug your Alexa devices right now,'" she said. "'You're being hacked.'"

    That person was one of her husband's employees, calling from Seattle.

    "We unplugged all of them and he proceeded to tell us that he had received audio files of recordings from inside our house," she said. "At first, my husband was, like, 'no you didn't!' And the (recipient of the message) said 'You sat there talking about hardwood floors.' And we said, 'oh gosh, you really did hear us.'"

    Danielle listened to the conversation when it was sent back to her, and she couldn't believe someone 176 miles away heard it too.

    "I felt invaded," she said. "A total privacy invasion. Immediately I said, 'I'm never plugging that device in again, because I can't trust it.'"

    Danielle says she unplugged all the devices, and she repeatedly called Amazon. She says an Alexa engineer investigated.

    "They said 'our engineers went through your logs, and they saw exactly what you told us, they saw exactly what you said happened, and we're sorry.' He apologized like 15 times in a matter of 30 minutes and he said we really appreciate you bringing this to our attention, this is something we need to fix!"

    But Danielle says the engineer did not provide specifics about why it happened, or if it's a widespread issue.

    "He told us that the device just guessed what we were saying," she said. Danielle said the device did not audibly advise her it was preparing to send the recording, something it’s programmed to do.

    When KIRO 7 asked Amazon questions, they sent this response:

    “Amazon takes privacy very seriously. We investigated what happened and determined this was an extremely rare occurrence. We are taking steps to avoid this from happening in the future."

    Amazon offered to “de-provision” Danielle’s Alexa communications so she could keep using its Smart Home Features. But Danielle is hoping Amazon gives her a refund for her devices, which she said their representatives have been unwilling to do. She says she’s curious to find out if anyone else has experienced the same issue.

    "A husband and wife in the privacy of their home have conversations that they're not expecting to be sent to someone (in) their address book," she said.
    WRX


  • #2
    Mark me as "not surprised".

    Comment


    • #3
      If you ask that thing, it will tell you its doing it.
      WH

      Comment


      • #4
        I have never had the slightest bit of interest in one of those... Working in technology I see all kinds of bugs and unintended consequences and I'm not bringing that shit into my house.
        Originally posted by stevo
        Not a good idea to go Tim 'The Toolman' Taylor on the power phallus.

        Stevo

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by bird_dog0347 View Post
          I have never had the slightest bit of interest in one of those... Working in technology I see all kinds of bugs and unintended consequences and I'm not bringing that shit into my house.
          Even when thoroughly worked and best intentions - crap goes wrong.
          Originally posted by MR EDD
          U defend him who use's racial slurs like hes drinking water.

          Comment


          • #6
            Did anybody think it wouldn't do that???
            Just like WhatsApp and Facebook advertising on your page. Of course they read all your shit...

            Comment


            • #7
              Are people really this stupid? Seriously? Outraged idiots seem to be the new normal.

              Comment


              • #8
                Real fucking smart to put microphones all over the house connected to the www...

                Comment


                • #9
                  my smart tv watches me! i'm scared

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Does it listen when I’m sitting around jacking it? If so, is it a pleasure model?
                    Originally posted by racrguy
                    What's your beef with NPR, because their listeners are typically more informed than others?
                    Originally posted by racrguy
                    Voting is a constitutional right, overthrowing the government isn't.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Broncojohnny View Post
                      Does it listen when I’m sitting around jacking it? If so, is it a pleasure model?

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        I'm going to write a skill to post whatever I say on DFWMUSTANGS.NET

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          "Alexa, read me all of the new posts on DFWmustangs.net...."
                          Originally posted by racrguy
                          What's your beef with NPR, because their listeners are typically more informed than others?
                          Originally posted by racrguy
                          Voting is a constitutional right, overthrowing the government isn't.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            I keep imagining the conversation that caused the person to call and let them know.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by BradM View Post
                              I keep imagining the conversation that caused the person to call and let them know.
                              It was mundane according to the article I read. Supposedly they were talking about wood flooring.

                              Comment

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