We have seen in sci-fi movies how far we go when it comes to being dependent on the technology, and how these Technologies can turn against the US. With a bit of artificial intelligence and internet connectivity, they communicate with each other and start creating an army against the human race.
While it is scary as hell, nothing as such would happen in real life, at least not in the recent future. But there are still few things about technology that need to be addressed, that how far do we need to rely on it.
Like the next step in the technology is Home Automation, and smart speakers are the initial steps in that direction. We have been enjoying the little Automation with the help of digital assistants on our smartphones. And now these digital assistants come out of our Smartphones and sit in a particular area of our drawing room.
You may have heard about Amazon Alexa, Amazon Echo, Google Home, Apple HomePod.
There are reports that are emerging that amazon’s Alexa has been recording people’s private conversations even when it is sitting idle in your room.
This is not for the first time such type of allegations has been made against these companies.
Mostly the smart features offered by the companies are just part of the service they offer, and the earth into much more diverse business, where sneaking into people’s conversation can help enhance their product or service, at least it’s what they believe.
In today’s world, the more you know about your customers the better you can send your products to them.
Wireless companies like Amazon and Google have publicly stated that they do not indulge in any unethical activities such as recording private conversations for collecting Private data.
They even claim that the data they collect is for the purpose of making their products or services better.
A report was published in New York Times Recently that Amazon Echo sent recordings of couples conversation to a friend.
In the same report, Amazon has explained the reason it happened. The Amazon Alexa installed adder couples home, took some of the words of the conversation as a command, recorded their conversation and kept taking the background voices as the next command including the recipient name as well as permission to send the audio clip.
So according to Amazon, there is, technically, no sneaking around as the Amazon echo was triggered for recording the conversation.
But it still funny how it can take random words as commands and send the clip to anyone on the list, it will be its own guess who to send the clip.
It would really be embarrassing that your private conversations are heard by a colleague awesome acquaintance since it’s not just our closest family members that are on our contact list.
Anyway, the couples have decided not to use Amazon Echo since they are concerned with their privacy, and are asking for a refund.
On one hand is smart speakers are pretty cool to automate your home, I mean who doesn’t want to get the lights turned off simply by saying it, but you will really have to decide it for yourself if you want to enjoy the luxury the future offers all your concerned about having your private conversations getting leaked.
