Amazon may allow software developers to read your private Alexa transcripts

Could you imagine living in a country that made technological advancements that weren’t at the expense of your individual right to privacy? What would it be like if the Fourth Amendment was actually respected, and each new idea for an invention started off with the simple question, “Is this going to infringe on the privacy rights of our customers?” If this type of a society sounds too good to be true, that’s because sadly, it is. From cellphones to television sets, to the cars that we drive, the American people are routinely being spied upon and listened to, and unless we stop purchasing these specific items altogether, there’s really not much we can do about it.

According to The Information, and as reported by Breitbart News, owners of the Amazon Alexa devices may soon be having some or even all of their conversations transcribed and reviewed by third-party developers, a move that is already sending up a red flag in the minds of many of Amazon’s customers.

For those who are unaware, the Amazon Echo is a device that essentially acts as a home computer that is instantly activated the second someone in the room says, “Alexa.” For instance, if you were cooking dessert and needed the recipe for homemade brownies, you could simply say “Alexa, read me a brownie recipe,” and the device would answer you within seconds. But while this sounds like something straight out of a science fiction movie, the underlying problems that come with a device that constantly listens for that activation word can be rather significant.

As Breitbart reports, “At the moment, developers making apps that will use Alexa are only permitted to see non-identifying information, such as location data, how often users talk to their devices, and how many times a specific ‘skill’ is used. If full transcripts were visible to developers, the greater amount of data could be put to use in order to improve and fine-tune their applications.”

Although ex-product head for the Alexa team, Ahmed Bouzid, claims that developers are currently only allowed to see “70 percent of what they need to know,” The Informationexplains that some have access to every single piece of information that is gathered by the Alexa device. This acquisition of this data is not only a clear violation of Fourth Amendment privacy rights, but it also opens the door to an entire world full of hackers who are eager and capable of breaking in and stealing your personal information.

During a speech earlier this summer at the Cheltenham Science Festival, cyber security expert Dr. Jason Nurse elaborated on the very real privacy concerns regarding these Amazon devices. “If hackers find a way to compromise these devices in our homes, they could have it recording all of the time and you wouldn’t necessarily know,” he explained. Nurse went on to say that hackers could hear you discussing holiday plans and find out when you will be away from home, or even collect credit card information.

If Amazon really does decide to give third-party developers access to all of the information collected by devices like the Amazon Echo and the Amazon Look, then it’s not a stretch that at least with respect to privacy, the company is going in the wrong direction. Corporations that are constantly putting out new forms of technology should never stop doing so, but that being said, it is also important that they maintain a level of respect for the Fourth Amendment. If our country continues to develop new technology but the liberties of the American people are squandered in the process, what is the point?

Sources include:

Breitbart.com

TheInformation.com

NaturalNews.com

Amazon Echo devices can be exploited by hackers to steal your bank account information

While it may be convenient to walk into your home and turn the lights on by simply saying “Alexa” or “Ok Google,” a security expert has warned that devices like the Amazon Echo could pose a serious security risk. “If hackers find a way to compromise these devices in our homes, they could have it recording all of the time and you wouldn’t necessarily know,” explained cyber security expert Dr. Jason Nurse. “They could hear you discussing your holiday plans, so they know when you are away and could burgle you. They may hear you buying something on the phone, giving away your credit card details.”

Nurse’s comments came during a recent speech at the Cheltenham Science Festival. The cyber security expert explained that he is so concerned about the potential privacy risks that come with the use of devices like the Amazon Echo that he refuses to keep electronic assistants of any kind in his home.

But despite the fact that your banking information is put in jeopardy every time you turn on your Amazon Echo, the gadget is more popular than ever. With the ability to answer virtually any question you have, pick up commands even in a noisy room, track online shopping and even lower the thermostat, it’s easy to see why devices like the Amazon Echo are being used by millions of people across the country. But still, some are concerned that such gadgets are inviting electronic spies right into their living rooms.

“If there’s something private you want to say, the first thing you should do is mute the device… or turn it off,” Dr. Nurse advises. “You should think twice about what you say in front of these devices.” Dr. Nurse went on to explain that “someone else in your home may say the wake word without your knowledge and start it recording while you are discussing something private or sensitive.”

In the case of the Amazon Echo, the “wake word” is “Alexa,” and in the case of Google Home, the “wake word” is “Ok Google.”

Although an Amazon spokesperson claimed that they take customer privacy very seriously, this isn’t the first time that the electronic commerce company has been surrounded by controversy. Back in April, Natural News reported on the potential privacy risks concerning the Echo Look, a $199 device recently released by Amazon that has the ability to watch you get dressed in your own bedroom. Even though the original purpose of the Echo Look was to give you recommendations on what to wear, many people are concerned that it could secretly record you during some of your most intimate moments.

With technology advancing at an astonishing rate and new devices coming out every year that once were only imaginable in science fiction films, our everyday lives are becoming more and more simplistic. We used to have no choice but to drive our own cars from point A to point B; now we have the option of purchasing a car that is able to drive itself. We used to have to walk into a dark house and feel around blindly for the light switch; now all we have to do is say “Alexa, turn on the lights.” Without question, life is much more convenient than it was even just five years ago.

But just because it is more convenient doesn’t mean it’s safer. As a matter of fact, one could argue that with the invention of devices like the Amazon Echo, people are more at risk of experiencing some type of privacy violation, whether it’s a video recording taken of you while you get dressed or a hacker stealing your banking information. That is why it is up to companies like Amazon and Google to continue looking for ways to protect the privacy rights of their customers, while simultaneously putting new products on the market.

Sources:

Dailymail.co.uk

NaturalNews.com