Gransnet forums

House and home

Embarrassing Alexa

(106 Posts)
Havemercy Sun 26-Jan-25 12:29:06

Just experienced an extremely embarrassing episode, courtesy of our WiFi smart speaker. Alexa kindly reminded me ( out loud ) that it was time to order some more female incontinence towels. Very kind of her - but problem was this was in front of three visitors !! Embarrassing silence followed but I thought it might be a good idea to warn anyone who orders things from Amazon that Alexa will speak!!

keepingquiet Sun 26-Jan-25 12:32:23

Those things are always listening which is why I don't have one.

ayse Sun 26-Jan-25 12:33:08

Who says our smart equipment is not listening?

Oopsadaisy1 Sun 26-Jan-25 12:51:35

The OP had obviously ordered them from Amazon before and Alexa was asking if she wanted to reorder.

Witzend Sun 26-Jan-25 12:55:20

keepingquiet

Those things are always listening which is why I don't have one.

Same here!

MaizieD Sun 26-Jan-25 13:02:57

Witzend

keepingquiet

Those things are always listening which is why I don't have one.

Same here!

That's why I wouldn't have one, either. grin

Do they never sleep? Can you turn it off?

B9exchange Sun 26-Jan-25 13:04:32

I don't want my conversations listened to and used for analysis and training.

Eg Amazon has been criticised for recording children's voices through its Alexa devices without parental consent. Lawsuits across multiple USA states claim that Alexa created detailed voiceprints of children, leading to fears of intrusive profiling. Critics argue that Amazon's measures for user control over data deletion are insufficient, particularly concerning minors' information. Although Amazon defends its practices, the lack of robust safeguards continues to fuel concerns.

Luckygirl3 Sun 26-Jan-25 13:07:26

No Alexa here!

Pittcity Sun 26-Jan-25 13:15:32

You can turn these messages off and just have a text reminder instead.

My DGS likes to ask Alexa to fart!

MaizieD Sun 26-Jan-25 13:23:06

Pittcity

You can turn these messages off and just have a text reminder instead.

My DGS likes to ask Alexa to fart!

That doesn't stop it listening to you, though.

FriedGreenTomatoes2 Sun 26-Jan-25 13:29:59

Alexa here gets switched off at night. She probably does listen in during the day. 😁

kittylester Sun 26-Jan-25 13:35:58

My Alexa would only tell me that if I asked her about notifications - not randomly.

I love my Alexa. I use it for lots of different things and they can be a boon for people with memory problems.

Aveline Sun 26-Jan-25 13:41:21

No Alexa for me

crazyH Sun 26-Jan-25 13:44:41

Love my Alexas - I have 2 - one upstairs and a more modern one - EchoDot downstairs.

AGAA4 Sun 26-Jan-25 13:59:41

I only have Alexa on if I want to listen to music. One night I was woken by Alexa saying something. She/it was in another room and usually will only respond to a voice so it was a bit unnerving as I was alone in the house.

Marg75 Sun 26-Jan-25 14:00:50

I'm sure they don't listen!! They just react to what you order on Amazon for goodness sake and what you ask them about. We love ours, talk to our daughter face to face on our Alexa Show and she lives 200 miles away and have music etc on our Echo Dot in the kitchen.

crazyH Sun 26-Jan-25 14:17:28

Yes AGAA4 - it’s happened to me as well, couple of times. She is probably triggered by any loud sound, like a window/door closing or a loud cough 😂

Cressida Sun 26-Jan-25 14:18:10

Never had anything to do with Alexa but surely it must be listening all the time to react when you speak to it.

BlueBelle Sun 26-Jan-25 14:20:05

No Alexa for me

Jaxjacky Sun 26-Jan-25 14:56:37

We’ve got one in the kitchen, it goes on for music in the morning and off at night, don’t use it for anything else.

Sago Sun 26-Jan-25 15:05:27

My Alexa hasn’t ever done such a thing.

I find this hard to believe.

Gin Sun 26-Jan-25 15:07:42

Do you think they really have thousands of minions sitting listening to millions of Alexa comments? I accept they will analyse all the statistical evidence Alexa supplies but cannot agree that they Are listening.

HettyBetty Sun 26-Jan-25 15:07:42

I wouldn't have one in the house if you paid me a million pounds. Humans have managed without them forever.

Crossstitchfan Sun 26-Jan-25 15:16:50

Marg75

I'm sure they don't listen!! They just react to what you order on Amazon for goodness sake and what you ask them about. We love ours, talk to our daughter face to face on our Alexa Show and she lives 200 miles away and have music etc on our Echo Dot in the kitchen.

Oh they DO listen! I was chatting to a friend one morning when she had coffee at my house, and she mentioned a song I have never heard. The next day, when I asked Alexa to play a playlist, that song was the first one she played. BUT……it wasn’t on any of my playlists! I gave Alexa away after that. It was far too creepy for me, living on my own!

kittylester Sun 26-Jan-25 15:29:18

We have 7 and use them, mostly are radios.

The kids get them to tell jokes, fart and to answer random questions.

Anyone who wants to list to my playlists or the grandchildren getting hysterical about farts is welcome to listen in.

Ours is also linked to our Ring - a brilliant feature.

There seems be be quite a bit of paranoia about.