According to a British researcher, smart speakers continue to listen to what we say even after we have finished giving voice commands
Virtual assistants like Amazon Echo and Google Home are spreading like wildfire even in Italy. After all, all it takes is a voice command and they start playing music, turn on the lights at home, send an email or activate a video call. In short, they really make our lives easier. According to Hannah Fry, a mathematician expert in algorithms and systems, these products would listen to even the most intimate conversations exchanged in the home. That's why they should be treated as real guests, keeping them away from certain spaces such as the bedroom and bathroom. During an interview, Dr. Fry, a professor at University College London, summarized the results of some personal studies aimed at the in-depth study of smart devices. The report speaks volumes and reveals some often hidden or overlooked aspects of such products.
What do Amazon Echo and Google Home listen for about us?
Dr. Hannah Fry's statements have made the rounds around the world: according to the doctor, these devices should stay away from some private spaces in the house, especially the bathroom and the bedroom. She stated, in fact, that virtual assistants would continue to listen for some time after the end of the voice command. Some confidential conversations would thus reach the ears of manufacturing companies producing privacy risks.
Virtual Assistants and Privacy Risks
To substantiate her thesis, Hannah Fry conducted her own research. She asked manufacturing companies for a sample of the recordings. After having listened to them, she noticed that in many occasions the detection didn't stop at the voice command, but continued long afterwards, so she was able to listen and save also the words pronounced afterwards. She got to know what people say to each other when they think they are safe from prying ears, and this convinced her to raise the alarm. She herself said she placed her device on the first floor of her home.
Manufacturing companies are also warning users
Hers is certainly not a voice out of the choir: companies themselves have released some troubling statements. Amazon, for example, has intercepted the activities of Alexa in Great Britain admitting that, alongside voice commands, the assistant has captured other moments of private life, such as a woman singing in the shower.
In short, if on the one hand these products have simplified our lives, on the other hand we should not underestimate the dangers related to privacy. Therefore, it is advisable to place them far from certain rooms of the house, preferring other shared spaces such as the living room or the kitchen. Not to mention that there are silencers that allow you to have more security and guarantees.