Alexa and Siri are always listening to our conversations and certain word usage, but should you be worried about it? Does the average person care if these assistants are eavesdropping? Is anyone on the other end of these devices listening and recording our conversations at home or on the go?
The explosion in use of digital assistants like Alexa and Siri over the last few years has made life a little bit easier for many. Want directions to the hottest Thai restaurant in town? Ask Siri. Want Alexa to play a song from your favorite 80s band? Simply ask Alexa to play Duran Duran. It’s handy to call out to these modern digital wonders for the names of songs, world history facts, who is playing in tonight’s baseball game, and what a Kardashian wore today. It is silly fun, and yet it can be useful as well.
What Do Alexa And Siri Listen For?
Alexa and Siri are pretty accurate on listening for your key phrases, though not always. Siri can flippantly talk back when it does not quite understand your commands. When these devices listen to our requests, they pick up key words and attach them to other pieces of information to get an answer. That Thai restaurant may be known only around town and nowhere else. How does Siri know how popular it is locally? Siri may access Apple’s own servers, Safari, or Google to track down this place for you based on local Yelp reviews, for instance. When Alexa searches for songs by Duran Duran, it will choose one of their signature hit songs like “Hungry Like The Wolf” over a more obscure but good song such as “Notorious” simply based on the song’s popularity.
When Alexa or Siri are useful, they are excellent tools. Just as consumers need to be diligent about using their debit cards or using the Internet, it is crucial to be aware of scammers and hackers. Using Alexa or Siri is not much different. Although most people probably do not care or pay attention to their digital assistants when they are not being used, it is important to still be aware of potential eavesdropping. When Alexa is idle, turn it off until you need to use it. Better yet, unplug it for extra security. When Siri is not needed, turn off your iPhone or MacBook. Doing these simple tasks may save you a lot of grief in the future and keep your privacy as private as possible with Alexa and Siri.
Source: CNBC
