Amazon Echo is the perfect smart home device for your house, and with each new update comes more Alexa skills. With the latest Amazon updates however, Amazon upped their privacy game by adding a slew of options that help you customize which voice commands are shared through your account. These settings will ensure that only certain people in your life can access specific features on the Echo- no one else!
With the release of new alexa devices, Alexa has been updated. The update includes 5 privacy settings that users can customize to their liking.
Concerns about Alexa’s privacy
Amazon Echo gadgets are highly popular because they provide us with a great deal of convenience. These smart speakers are creeping into our living rooms, kitchens, and even bedrooms. As a result, there’s a case to be made for Alexa’s privacy worries.
I adore Alexa gadgets and have them all throughout my house. Although Amazon Echo devices are secure, we must be aware of what is recorded or monitored and how we handle that information.
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about Alexa recordings and privacy.
Is Alexa always paying attention?
The Alexa microphone is constantly listening for the “wake word” until it is disabled. Depending on your preferences, the wake word is Alexa, Amazon, or Computer. Alexa does not begin recording your chat until the wake word is said.
Does Amazon listen to the recordings I make with Alexa?
Amazon workers may listen to your recorded snippets depending on your privacy settings. This data is used by Amazon to enhance speech recognition and services. However, according to Amazon, only a small percentage of recordings are actually listened to.
What Else Does Alexa Keep Track Of?
When Alexa is turned on, most users are aware that it captures their voice samples. You should be aware, though, that Alexa can also monitor other occurrences. This includes Smart Alerts like fire alarms, as well as the history of Smart Home devices like when a door was opened.
What are the steps for configuring Alexa’s privacy settings?
Let’s look at how to adjust your Alexa’s Personal Information Settings now that we know what Alexa may record or monitor. The privacy options listed below are applicable to all Alexa devices. The Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Show, and Echo Spot are all part of this. There are no differences in privacy settings between the Echo Dot and the Echo Show, for example.
The Alexa app is where you adjust all of your Echo privacy settings. Follow these instructions to go to the Alexa app’s Privacy Settings.
1 – In the Alexa App, go to the “hamburger” menu.
The hamburger menu is the three lines in the app’s upper left corner.
Menu Alexa
2 – From the Alexa menu, choose “Settings.”
At the bottom of the list, you’ll find Settings.
Alexa Preferences
3 – Choose “Alexa Privacy” from the drop-down menu.
This section will lead you to a list of five different locations where you may modify your Echo privacy settings.
Alexa Privacy
Alexa Privacy Preferences
Alexa Privacy Settings on Amazon Echo
Your Alexa Privacy Settings may be reviewed and modified in five different locations. We’ll go through each section and how to utilize it in this section.
Optional Alexa Privacy Settings
Item 5 has been renamed “Manage Your Alexa Data” and now includes the ability to erase voice recordings automatically.
1 – Go through your voice history
You may examine and delete all voice recordings from your Echo devices in this section. You may also instruct Alexa to forget what you said if you activate deletion by voice.
Examine and Delete History of Alexa Voice Recordings
To check all recordings from your Echo devices during that time period, choose the date range from the drop down option. Today, yesterday, this week, this month, all history, or a custom date range are all options for filtering.
By clicking the play button, you may listen to any of the recordings in the list. You may either erase each recording individually or the whole filter. Simply choose “Delete All Recordings for [time period]” from the drop-down menu.
Review Alexa’s Voice Recordings
Enable Voice Deletion
When enabled, you may use a voice command to erase your voice recordings. This is something I suggest enabling so you can quickly ask Alexa to remove a recording. To erase a recording, just use the following instructions after it is switched on:
- Delete what I just said, Alexa.
- Delete everything I said today, Alexa.
Alexa Voice Deletion
2 – Go through your Smart Alert History
What are Alexa Smart Alerts, and how do I use them?
Smart Alerts are events that you’ve asked Alexa to keep track of. CO2 and Smoke Alarms, as well as glass break events, are now included in smart alerts. When Alexa Guard is turned on, it detects these occurrences. Any Alexa Smart Alerts that have been recorded by your Echo devices may be seen and deleted. To filter by date, use the drop-down menu. Then, to erase them from history, click “Delete All Recordings for [time period].”
History of Alexa Smart Alerts
3 – Manage the History of Smart Home Devices
If you have any smart home gadgets connected to your Amazon Echo, Alexa will keep track of their behavior. Alexa, for example, will keep track of when a door is opened or a light is turned off.
Amazon utilizes this data to assist you in managing your smart home and to offer recommendations based on your typical activities. By selecting the “Delete All Smart Home Devices History” button, you may delete this information.
History of Alexa Smart Home Devices
4 – Manage Permissions for Skills
When you activate Alexa skills, you normally have to grant them access to specific data. You can examine which Alexa skills have access to certain permissions in this section of the Alexa Privacy settings. The following permissions were utilized (in bold):
- Street Address of Access Device
- Country and Postal Code of Access Device
- Check out Alexa’s Lists
- Alexa Lists may be changed.
- Make use of Amazon Pay.
- Obtain Full Name
- Obtain First Name
- Obtain a Phone Number
- Obtain an Email Address
By choosing it, you can see which applications have access to this data. Using the toggle button shown below, you may also deactivate or allow access to the talent.
Permissions for Alexa Skills
Permission to use Alexa Skills in a certain location
5 – Take control of your Alexa data
This option has two sections: Maintain Control Over Your Voice Recordings and Help Alexa Improve.
Manage Your Voice Recordings
Manage your voice recordings enables you to have your voice recordings deleted automatically after 3 months, 18 months, or until you remove them manually.
Previously, Amazon only let you manually remove speech history, so this is a welcome addition to Alexa’s security features. After three months, I choose to have all voice recordings deleted automatically.
Delete recordings on a regular basis
Verify the settings
Assist in Improving Alexa
This is a wonderful method for Amazon to ask for permission to utilize your voice recordings in order to enhance its services. You may opt-in to manual recording reviews of your data in two places.
- Voice Recordings — After Alexa hears the wake word, every command is recorded.
- Messaging — Messages sent from your Echo devices, including text and other types of messages.
If you choose these options, there’s a possibility that your voice recordings may be reviewed by a real person. Amazon will be able to increase the accuracy of speech recognition and other services as a result of this. There is an extremely little probability that your information will be examined. If you uncheck these choices, your Alexa capabilities will not be limited.
How Does Your Data Get Better? Alexa
Other Alexa Preferences
When configuring your Echo devices, the most critical considerations are security and privacy settings. For a fantastic Alexa experience, you need also establish the following settings.
- Enable Alexa Brief Mode, and Alexa will talk less and cease replying to smart home commands with “OK.” This is a must-have for my house!
P.S. If you have a question, want to assist someone else, or want to share your experiences, please leave a comment below. Thanks!
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I set Alexa privacy settings?
A: To set Alexa privacy settings, you need to go into the Amazon app on your device and then find the Privacy tab. From there, select which of your conversations or interactions with Alexa are public by checking or unchecking them. You can also adjust what types of voice commands are allowed as well as who is able to ask for information from you in case they dont have a specific permission
How does Alexa have access to my photos?
A: Alexa has access to your photos because you allow it. We will never share any of the information we gather about you without your explicit permission.
What is Alexa privacy mode?
A: Alexa privacy mode is a feature that allows users to set a timer before they ask an Amazon Echo or any other device in the same room to play music. This prevents those devices from playing music when it isnt warranted, such as during work hours rather than at home.
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