Alexa private questions! not recorded in history or uploaded to the cloud!

[thamerfa]

After going through my Alexa history, I'm now more concerned about my privacy!

First, Alexa is recording every single question I asked in the cloud "with my voice  ".
Second, Alexa is allowing me (as a registered household) to check all questions that my wife has asked in the past "With her voice". I know that she had asked Alexa today about the nail salon, she is probably going there soon 

Will it be interesting if there is an option to ask questions privately "with no record logged"? It's similar to the idea of incognito tab in the browser.

[DParker]

This isn't a privacy issue.  When you use Alaxa it's understood that said usage is going to be known to the company that implements the service.  The fact that you, as the holder of the account, are privy to that information as well should also come as no surprise.

Now, if your conversations that did not involve Alexa were being uploaded and recorded (they're not) then you'd have cause for concern.

[strayfish]

This isn't a privacy issue.  When you use Alaxa it's understood that said usage is going to be known to the company that implements the service.  The fact that you, as the holder of the account, are privy to that information as well should also come as no surprise.

Now, if your conversations that did not involve Alexa were being uploaded and recorded (they're not) then you'd have cause for concern.

I'd say it is a privacy issue, certainly when a household is accessing the same device along with their friends and visitors, or when a family member or carer is holding the app/account for a vulnerable adult who may find the device itself an invaluable aid. Those of us considering its use as assistive technology are looking closely at consent and capacity to consent to having this material accessible to, at this secondary level, a named individual. Beyond that, as long as you know it's being stored in the cloud (which I didn't at first) then you're right, it's no different from much else we sling out there for remote storage. But on the whole, we know what that is and when we're doing it; these devices not only record and store but do so without the knowledge never mind consent of some of the people whose voices will then be accessible to the account holder. 

[DParker]

I'd say it is a privacy issue, certainly when a household is accessing the same device along with their friends and visitors, or when a family member or carer is holding the app/account for a vulnerable adult who may find the device itself an invaluable aid. Those of us considering its use as assistive technology are looking closely at consent and capacity to consent to having this material accessible to, at this secondary level, a named individual. Beyond that, as long as you know it's being stored in the cloud (which I didn't at first) then you're right, it's no different from much else we sling out there for remote storage. But on the whole, we know what that is and when we're doing it; these devices not only record and store but do so without the knowledge never mind consent of some of the people whose voices will then be accessible to the account holder.

They're doing so with the knowledge and consent of you, the account holder and homeowner.  If you fail to inform others you allow to use the device of these things then that's between you and them.  The legal issues can get a little muddy, but suffice it to say that you have no legitimate expectation of privacy when using an internet-connected device (at least with regard to the information you provide to it), nor does anyone have a legitimate expectation of privacy for their actions carried out in someone else's home.  (Have you ever heard of "nanny cams"?)

[strayfish]

This device is marketed to a wide audience with absolutely no mention of potential privacy issues. I think it's expecting a lot of most people to anticipate storage of voice data that's accessible by the account holder, and clearly if the account holder has no idea it's happening - or chooses to let it happen for nefarious reasons - then people who might otherwise object won't be able to do so.

I'm not sure where your assumption regarding no expectation of privacy in other people's homes comes from but I assume it doesn't extend to their toilets. Similarly, if someone were recording everything visitors said without telling them, they'd have a right to be more than annoyed about that.

No adult can consent on behalf of another adult, that's the law; and adults must be fully informed in order to consent on their own behalf. This device records voice commands and if people don't know, then it's an issue which should at least be made clear to buyers.

[DParker]

This device is marketed to a wide audience with absolutely no mention of potential privacy issues.

Did you bother to read the Alexa Terms of Use when you established your account?  If you did then you might have noticed this:

1.3 Voice Services. You control Alexa with your voice. Alexa streams audio to the cloud when you interact with Alexa. Alexa processes and retains your voice input and other information, such as your music playlists and your Alexa to-do and shopping lists, in the cloud to respond to your requests and improve our services. Learn more about these voice services including how to delete voice recordings associated with your account.

I think it's expecting a lot of most people to anticipate storage of voice data that's accessible by the account holder, and clearly if the account holder has no idea it's happening

See above.

I'm not sure where your assumption regarding no expectation of privacy in other people's homes comes from...

It comes from an understanding of the applicable law in my country and state of residence.

but I assume it doesn't extend to their toilets.

On what is that assumption based?  Remember that we're talking about legal issues, not ettiquette.

Similarly, if someone were recording everything visitors said without telling them, they'd have a right to be more than annoyed about that.

In most U.S. states (all but 13) that would not be true.  I'm not certain what the situation is in countries like the UK.

No adult can consent on behalf of another adult, that's the law; and adults must be fully informed in order to consent on their own behalf.

And as I said, in most cases no such consent of guests in your home is required.

This device records voice commands and if people don't know, then it's an issue which should at least be made clear to buyers.

Again, see my first response at the top of this post.

[strayfish]

This device is marketed to a wide audience with absolutely no mention of potential privacy issues.

Did you bother to read the Alexa Terms of Use when you established your account?  If you did then you might have noticed this:

1.3 Voice Services. You control Alexa with your voice. Alexa streams audio to the cloud when you interact with Alexa. Alexa processes and retains your voice input and other information, such as your music playlists and your Alexa to-do and shopping lists, in the cloud to respond to your requests and improve our services. Learn more about these voice services including how to delete voice recordings associated with your account.

I think it's expecting a lot of most people to anticipate storage of voice data that's accessible by the account holder, and clearly if the account holder has no idea it's happening

See above.

I'm not sure where your assumption regarding no expectation of privacy in other people's homes comes from...

It comes from an understanding of the applicable law in my country and state of residence.

but I assume it doesn't extend to their toilets.

On what is that assumption based?  Remember that we're talking about legal issues, not ettiquette.

Similarly, if someone were recording everything visitors said without telling them, they'd have a right to be more than annoyed about that.

In most U.S. states (all but 13) that would not be true.  I'm not certain what the situation is in countries like the UK.

No adult can consent on behalf of another adult, that's the law; and adults must be fully informed in order to consent on their own behalf.

And as I said, in most cases no such consent of guests in your home is required.

This device records voice commands and if people don't know, then it's an issue which should at least be made clear to buyers.

Again, see my first response at the top of this post.

Taking a contemptuous tone is rarely helpful but you're lucky - you're articulate and knowledgeable and you know what to look for, much of the population is less so and they outnumber you. Some also have visual or literacy problems so no, they may not have trawled through the detail of the terms of use, or if they did, fully understood the implications. Others, like me, may not have done so because, unlike you, they bought a device that looks uncomplicated and user-friendly which is exactly how it's designed to be and as it's marketed. Until we need IQ and literacy tests to purchase gadgets, it's very likely that large numbers of people won't be as attentive as you and will only find out about some things by accident. That's the world we live in and that's the population - the lowest common denominator - that needs to be taken into consideration.

[strayfish]

Taking a contemptuous tone is rarely helpful...

Then it's a good thing that I didn't say anything even remotely indicative of contempt.  I replied to you with simple facts, and one question about the source of the source of your assumption...which I note you have declined to answer.

...know what to look for

I knew what to look for because Amazon told me right up front to read their Terms of Use, and even required that I click a checkmark indicating I'd done so as a precondition of establishing my account.  They did the same for you and everyone else creating an account for their Alexa device(s).  If you and others can't be bothered to avail yourselves of information that's been offered to you in an easily readable and understandable form then I fail to see any basis for your complaints against Amazon on this issue.

And I'm not even going to address the silliness of the illiteracy excuse.  Amazon is a business, not your mother.

Others, like me, may not have done so because, unlike you, they bought a device that looks uncomplicated and user-friendly which is exactly how it's designed to be and as it's marketed. Until we need IQ and literacy tests to purchase gadgets, it's very likely that large numbers of people won't be as attentive as you and will only find out about some things by accident. That's the world we live in and that's the population - the lowest common denominator - that needs to be taken into consideration.

Or perhaps you and others like you ought to consider being adults and taking some responsibility for your own decisions.  The information was provided to you in an easy to read and understand form.  You were told to read it as a condition of your use of the service and you had to acknowledge that you'd done so in order to continue.  You opted to not read it, and then lied to Amazon by claiming that you did.  And now you're complaining that Amazon has somehow not given you the information that you chose to ignore.  I'm going to have to go with, "That's your problem, not theirs" on this one.

Dear me! There's nothing here I can begin to respond to because your world demands a level of perfection most people don't reach and it's us that designers and marketers of products need to accommodate or they won't sell their stuff. Be thankful you're smart and knowledgeable and maybe give the rest of us a break.

[strayfish]

And you really think you're not being contemptuous?

[mike27oct]

Too much snarkiness showing up in this thread.  This is not the Amazon Complaint Dept,  Direct complaints to Amazon. 

Look, the entire history of what has been said to ALL one's Echo devices can be deleted.  Go into History of app settings, read Learn More, and carry on from there.  Does anyone really think there are people at Amazon whose job is to listen to all the comments said to Echos each day?  The comments are retained for users' benefits.

This is not a unique issue to Amazon devices; I imagine the same issues surround the new Google Home devices.

If you don't like the way the gadgets work and believe they invade your privacy, then stop using the devices.

[thamerfa]

@DParker, with all being said, don't you think that you will have more privacy if there is an option to ask Alexa privately?

[Snafs]

I will admit, and I would think pretty much everyone would agree.

It would be nice, perhaps in the future, perhaps with better hardware on-board, to have the ability to create an area inside alexa that was local to just that device.
Ideally still not only to the device, but also to a specific user.

I have been on the phone to a company many times, and they say. "Before we go any further I'd like to ask you for some letters from your password"

It would be nice if I could ask Alexa for this help, perhaps one day

[DParker]

@DParker, with all being said, don't you think that you will have more privacy if there is an option to ask Alexa privately?

Privately?  In what way?  Alexa is by design a cloud-based service, for multiple very good reasons that have already been covered on this site numerous times.  As such your interactions with it are inherently non-private.

Don't get me wrong.  I have great concerns about protection of privacy when it comes to incrsions on it that are surreptitious and/or without my permission.  But my use of the Alexa service doesn't fall into that category...just like DirecTV knowing what shows I watch, or the local grocery store knowing and collecting (perhaps even selling) data on what I buy at their store.