In the News
Smart speakers and their recordings are cloud-based, but a recent incident shows that they may not be as private as promised. In Amazon sent 1,700 Alexa voice recordings to the wrong user following data request, Nick Statt at the Verge discusses how one Amazon Alexa user in Germany requested his data history and mistakenly received the voice recordings of a total stranger. Statt reports that Amazon sent the user the recordings of someone else who also requested their data history. Statt elaborates that the recordings incorrectly shared with the user revealed copious amounts of personal information of the other user. Amazon claims the incident was a simple error and anomaly.
Our Take
Smart devices are all the rage in our society with consumers loving the ease and aid that such devices add to their daily lives. While these devices are beneficial in completing simple, everyday tasks, the information that smart speakers receive to achieve such requests can be highly personal. What the incident regarding mistakenly sending voice recordings to a different individual show is the dark side of providing a smart device with so much personal information. This particular incident did not result in grave harm to the user whose information was shared with a stranger without their consent. However, human and technical errors occur, and all of the information that you provide your smart speaker could fall into a stranger’s hands which is a massive violation of privacy for Amazon users. When using such devices, be mindful of the potential that your information could not remain private forever and act accordingly when sharing your information with the digital world.
Recommendations
How can you protect your personal information while using smart speakers and devices?
- Understand the risks of putting your personal information into the world, and only share what you have to
- Be mindful of the content you store on your devices and think about its impact if it falls into the wrong hands
- Refrain from discussing highly sensitive information over a voice or video call; such information should be addressed in-person whenever possible
- Update your devices and apps whenever possible to avoid running a vulnerable program
- Be aware of default settings on any device or application and turn on privacy settings as needed