Amazon Echo Records Family's Conversation without Their Knowledge and Sends to Random Contact

A family in Portland says their Echo device recorded their conversation and sent it to a random person on their contact list. Amazon reportedly confirmed the incident and blamed it on Alexa misinterpreting background conversation as commands to send a message to a contact.

1. Can you spy on someone with Amazon Echo?
2. Can Alexa talk without being prompted?
3. Can I eavesdrop with Alexa?
4. How do I know if someone is listening through Alexa?
5. Can Alexa say bad words?
6. Can I change Alexa's name to Jarvis?
7. What happens if you tell Alexa to shut up?
8. Can someone else connect to my Alexa?
9. Can Alexa recordings be used in court?
10. Can Alexa drop in on another house?
11. Is Alexa listening at all times?
12. Can ECHO be used as a listening device?
13. Is Siri listening at all times?

Can you spy on someone with Amazon Echo?

Turning an Echo Into a Spy

They record voice commands, what we speak at home, and even what we say on the phone. The latest Drop-in feature also allows any random person (with permission) to listen to the person's Alexa interaction. Amazon Echo or any other smart speakers have built-in microphones.

Can Alexa talk without being prompted?

I was recently asked if Alexa can ever speak without prompting, so I thought it'd be helpful to ask here to make sure I'm right; as far as I know, Alexa will never, ever speak without the wake word, and the only unprompted sound it will make is the alarm sound.

Can I eavesdrop with Alexa?

Security researchers developed eight voice apps that could listen in on people and potentially steal their passwords. Security researchers developed skills for both Google Home and Amazon Echo devices that could eavesdrop on people.

How do I know if someone is listening through Alexa?

Tap into the menu bar on the left-hand side and then tap Settings. Next tap Alexa Privacy, and then go into Review Voice History. This is where you can check up on all of the voice recordings Alexa has captured for you.

Can Alexa say bad words?

Amazon Alexa is a family-friendly voice assistant, which means it neither uses nor does it condone the use of strong language and profanities, for the most part. However, you can still get Alexa's goody-two-shoes virtual assistant to use cuss words and crudities almost at will.

Can I change Alexa's name to Jarvis?

Unfortunately, you cannot change the Alexa wake word to Jarvis, sorry Marvel fans! ... Regardless of whether you have an Echo Dot, Echo Input, Echo Show or any other model, you can change Alexa's wake word.

What happens if you tell Alexa to shut up?

Sometimes all you really want from your Amazon Echo is silence. If loud music is playing or Alexa is in the middle of a lengthy explanation you don't want to hear, just say "Alexa, Shut Up!" and you'll get some silence in return.

Can someone else connect to my Alexa?

To use Guest Connect, you need an Alexa account, your voice profile setup, and Bluetooth and notifications turned on. ... Once connected, Alexa uses voice recognition to provide you with access to your music and your news. Alexa only recognizes your voice on someone else's device if you're connected through Guest Connect.

Can Alexa recordings be used in court?

There have been stories about how they've picked up on threads of conversations, even when people haven't used the wake word or asked an explicit question. But it turns out that the voice data these devices collect can be used, either in your defense or against you, in a court of law.

Can Alexa drop in on another house?

You can Drop in on a device in another household or location if the contact on that end has given you permission from his or her Alexa app. To Drop in this way, say "Alexa, drop in on [name of contact]." You're connected to that contact through one of that person's Echo devices and can start chatting.

Is Alexa listening at all times?

You won't always know what happens with those recordings. After all, an Alexa speaker, like the Echo or Dot, is an always-on listening device. Although it's designed to listen only when called upon, sometimes it doesn't play by its own rules.

Can ECHO be used as a listening device?

In your alert will be a button that says “Drop In On Echo.” According to Amazon, "When you tap that button, it will establish an audio connection between the phone that received the notification, and the Echo that detected the alarm or glass break sound." Thus, you can now listen in real time to the sounds of home.

Is Siri listening at all times?

Just as most other voice assistants, Siri is essentially always on, through your HomePod or iPhone microphone, listening for you to say “Hey Siri” so it can get activated. According to Apple privacy policy, although Siri is listening, it doesn't remember anything you say before it's activated by its voice command.