Yes, you read that right! I know that might be a shock to you that these digital assistants are actually spying on us. They kind of have to. Think about it for a second, how does Alexa know that you’ve said “Hey Alexa” or how does Siri know when to give you an answer. It’s because these devices are continually listening to their environment, waiting for the keywords to be spoken.
Good news though, there is finally a way to retain privacy but still enjoy the benefits of virtual assistants like Google, Alexa, and Siri. Okay, Okay…Yes, I’m a skeptic and not quite ready to say that all is good on this front but it is certainly a step in the right direction. For improved security follow these simple directions.
Apple: Last August, Apple announced it would no longer listen to Siri recordings without your permission. The company can only receive your audio data if you choose to opt-in. To make sure you didn’t opt-in go to your iPhone’s SETTINGS>PRIVACY>ANALYTICS AND IMPROVEMENTS>TURN OFF IMPROVE SIRI & DICTATION.
Google: Google has suspended a human review of audio recordings. However, if you’re still worried about it go to myaccount.google.com > WEB & APP ACTIVITY. Next, uncheck the box that says INCLUDE VOICE AND AUDIO RECORDINGS.
Amazon: Amazon recently put a stop to their listening to your voice recordings. But just to be sure, go to the Alexa app, go to SETTINGS > ALEXA PRIVACY > MANAGE YOUR ALEXA DATA. From here turn off the toggle switch that says ‘Use Voice Recordings to Improve Amazon Services to Develop New Features.”
You’d think they just let us say “Hey Google, mind your own business”. If you have friends or family members who could benefit from the info shared here please forward and share so everyone can make sure their privacy settings are set correctly. Keeping you safe and smart with the technology you use every day- this is my gig and what I love to do. Thanks for following.
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