Embarrassing Alexa

They do listen, they have to as they need to recognise the “wake” word.
Our mobile phones also listen.
Unless you’re plotting a terrorist attack or a major heist AIBU do t think it’s worth worrying about.

kittylester

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.

Same here. We don't get random notifications, our Alexa flashes if there is a notification. We have to ask what it is. Often we don't!

I should explain that Alexa was flashing and I asked her what the notification was - thinking it might be a weather warning - not an invitation to order some more incontinence pads! Anyway, my original post was meant to be a lighthearted warning. I will certainly be disabling the notifications for Amazon purchases.

It was amusing

keepingquiet

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

Me too. No way.

I have three, kitchen, sitting room and bedroom and love them!

Listening to some Joan Baez now on the kitchen one while I'm cooking dinner (and drinking wine...)

Often use them to catch up on radio programmes I've missed; and have the bedroom one on Radio 4 quietly all night. It's company in the night, and doesn't stop me from sleeping.

I use a CD player and radios.

I like to try to keep up with things.

kittylester

I like to try to keep up with things.

Me too. I do love my gadgets. 😂

Aveline

No Alexa for me

Not for me too

Dh has Alexa in his home office, bedroom and one in the kitchen. I use the kitchen one as a radio but I’m not keen on them “listening”. I won’t have one in my bedroom/sewingroom.
When I was in my DH’s bed Alexa randomly came on, waking me up, she insisted on playing “ three hours of diurnal sound so I would sleep” then followed weird drumming.
I told her to “off”.
DH had switched off then on the router apparently.

We have them throughout the house and use them to control lights, checking the weather, monitoring Amazon deliveries and also as intercoms.
I spend a lot of time unwell in bed, so I use them to summon my butler (DH), if need anything

There seems be be quite a bit of paranoia about

Not necessarily paranoia. More and more it just pays to be careful with digital information.

From all the apps on phones, Alexa, PCs, tablets, etc a lot of information is collected. Especially social media. Perfect for identity theft. There have been a few occasions here and in the US where identity theft has led to people's houses being sold without their knowledge.

A bit like collecting all the scraps of shredded paper from bins 20 years ago to get people's bank details.

Alexa - do you have notifications?

"We will be delivering your DH's Christmas present of Pringle's Mens' Warm Socks tomorrow"
😁

We have two Alexas who are quite amenable, and their little sister Echo who seems to delight in pretending she never understands what I’m asking her for.

I doubt very much that there’s anyone/thing listening in to what DH and I have to say - they’d have died of boredom long since.

If Alexa were listening in at this home, she would probably have a meltdown with boredom.

'Sorry Maggiemaybe - I hadn't seen your post when I wrote the above; obviously two households where Alex would have alean time.

'A lean time'.

keepingquiet

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

They cannot listen if you disable the microphone . She reminds you if you have already ordered this item .

We have them in most rooms but the one in the kitchen I call Alex as its a male voice I actually quite like!

A friend was discussing her upcoming hysterectomy with a friend.
Alexa suddenly started telling them the names of all the hospitals in the area.
They were stunned and felt they had to continue their conversation in whispers 🤫

LovesBach

'Sorry Maggiemaybe - I hadn't seen your post when I wrote the above; obviously two households where Alex would have alean time.

Great minds think alike, LovesBach.

There is no person actively listening to your conversations- rather whenever the gadget is switched on it is in communication by satellite in order to respond the voice commands. How do people think these things work?
Yes, this also happens with your phone but these devices have different functions.
ie for Alexa to work on voice command it has to be switched on.
Phones do not have to be switched on all the time in the same way.
However, all these tech devices including laptops are constantly collecting data about each and every one of us pretty much most of the time.

We have four echo devices. We live in a dead area for digital radio signals and the two in kitchen and living room are used primarily for radio.
We sleep in separate rooms and each have an echo dot to use as an intercom in case we might need each other during the night. It's also nice to be able to ask for the time and not have to fumble about for my phone.

HettyBetty

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

As we did without electricity for light, central heating for warmth, machines to do washing, cooking, etc. etc. So, this is a rather silly statement to make about one specific machine.

Alexa is wonderful for someone, like me, living independently, in my own flat. Anywhere in the flat I know I can call out to Alexa to call an ambulance (if necessary), or my local daughter - so no worries by her about me having a fall and not being able to get help.

Yes, it 'listens' to me if I give it a clear instruction (eg: |Turn on front Living Room lights'), although often enough gets things wrong - it is not very 'smart'!!!!! Would get rather bored with listening to me most of the time, where there is silence.

I am no more paranoid about this little machine listening to me than I was about the covid vaccines injecting me with a chip. Just very appreciative that I live in a time when domestic machinery has reached such good levels to make my everyday living so easy and comfortable.