Everything you say to your Echo will be sent to Amazon starting March 28

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As the title says.

Since Amazon announced plans for a generative AI version of Alexa, we were concerned about user privacy. With Alexa+ rolling out to Amazon Echo devices in the coming weeks, we’re getting a clearer view at the privacy concessions people will have to make to maximize usage of the AI voice assistant and avoid bricking functionality of already-purchased devices.

In an email sent to customers today, Amazon said that Echo users will no longer be able to set their devices to process Alexa requests locally and, therefore, avoid sending voice recordings to Amazon’s cloud. Amazon apparently sent the email to users with “Do Not Send Voice Recordings” enabled on their Echo. Starting on March 28, recordings of everything spoken to the Alexa living in Echo speakers and smart displays will automatically be sent to Amazon and processed in the cloud.

Amazon defends it but…..!

there are plenty of reasons why people wouldn’t want Amazon to receive recordings of what they say to their personal device. For one, the idea of a conglomerate being able to listen to personal requests made in your home is, simply, unnerving.

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/03/everything-you-say-to-your-echo-will-be-sent-to-amazon-starting-on-march-28/

telcodad

px_eliezer_

Also at the end of that article:

Save recordings or lose functionality

Likely looking to get ahead of these concerns, Amazon said in its email today that by default, it will delete recordings of users’ Alexa requests after processing. However, anyone with their Echo device set to “Don’t save recordings” will see their already-purchased devices’ Voice ID feature bricked. Voice ID enables Alexa to do things like share user-specified calendar events, reminders, music, and more. Previously, Amazon has said that “if you choose not to save any voice recordings, Voice ID may not work.” As of March 28, broken Voice ID is a guarantee for people who don’t let Amazon store their voice recordings.
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Amazon is forcing Echo users to make a couple of tough decisions: Grant Amazon access to recordings of everything you say to Alexa or stop using an Echo; let Amazon save voice recordings and have employees listen to them or lose a feature set to become more advanced and central to the next generation of Alexa.

However, Amazon is betting big that Alexa+ can dig the voice assistant out of a financial pit. Amazon has publicly committed to keeping the free version of Alexa around, but Alexa+ is viewed as Amazon’s last hope for keeping Alexa alive and making it profitable. Anything Amazon can do to get people to pay for Alexa takes precedence over other Alexa user demands, including, it seems, privacy.

broknsymetry

It’s ok, It’ll bore Amazon to death.

HELLFIRE

Amazon demonstrating their credentials to be in the “FAANG” bunch 🙄 🙄

Regards

Rich221976

They are going to have to filter out, Alexia Stop. Alexia Turn off the lights. Alexia Turn off the lights. Alexia turn off the f*cking lights. Alexia turn on the lights. Alexia stop playing music that I didn’t ask for.

Etc…

broknsymetry

Rich221976 You’ve been reading my transcripts. 😀

telcodad

Rich221976 They are going to have to filter out, Alexia Stop. Alexia Turn off the lights. Alexia Turn off the lights. Alexia turn off the f*cking lights. Alexia turn on the lights. Alexia stop playing music that I didn’t ask for.

Yeah, when Alexa often fails to silence a timer/alarm going off, with “Alexa stop,” my wife will then often yell “Alexa - shut the f*ck up!” 🙂

antdude

I thought they already did this!