As technology advances, so do we as a species. However, this progress comes with a cost. To truly understand consumer needs, we must have access to their homes. Amazon's Echo, with its Alexa device, provides this insight. However, some experts warn against keeping the device in the bedroom.

Amazon Echo Alex – Always Listening

To design and create relevant technology, it is important for manufacturers to understand consumer needs. One way to do this is by listening in on conversations in the home, which provide insight into raw and unfiltered needs. However, this raises concerns about privacy as Amazon's Echo device, equipped with Alexa, is constantly listening to conversations in the vicinity of the device, potentially monitored by Amazon representatives.

The Amazon Echo with Alexa is a popular device among consumers. It is an AI assistant that can be controlled with voice commands. It offers many features, such as controlling lighting, temperature, music, and more, allowing you to turn your home into a smart home.

Keep It Out Of The Bedroom

To ensure optimal performance, the Amazon team is constantly working to improve Alexa's ability to understand commands. This is done by having a team listen to conversations near the device. This is possible because the Amazon Echo with Alexa is designed to always be listening, allowing it to quickly respond to commands.

Experts have raised concerns that the Amazon Echo with Alexa, being always-on, may also hear intimate conversations or private moments. To avoid this, it is recommended to place the device in common areas such as the living room, kitchen, or office, but not in the bedroom or bathroom. Additionally, Dr. Hannah Fry, a mathematician and expert on tech company algorithms at University College London, has noted that while the device may not be actively listening, it may continue to record a few moments after a command is given.

Dr. Dry says, "it keeps recording for a short period afterward."

She continues by saying, "[she] thinks there are some spaces in your home, like the bedroom and bathroom, which should remain completely private. This technology is activated by a trigger word but it keeps recording for a short period afterward. People accept that, but we should all spend more time thinking about what it means for us."

Not For The Ordinary

Amazon has denied ever spying on individuals through their Echo devices, claiming that the focus is on corporations. However, reports of employees listening to over 1000 recordings per day have been confirmed. This news may cause concern among consumers who may feel violated by the possibility of their conversations being recorded.

Dr. Fry stated that some people in high-level positions may keep their smartphones out of the bedroom:

"There are people who are very senior in the tech world who will not have so much as a smartphone in their bedroom. I have both an Alexa and a Google voice-activated device and I regularly turn them both off. People really must set their own limits."