Amazon has recently made changes to its Privacy Policy and features that impact several Amazon Echo Devices: Echo Dot (4th Gen), Echo Show 10, and Echo Show 15. These devices previously had a setting that allowed users to disable sending their voice recordings to Amazon for review, analysis, and model-building/improving.
Amazon recently announced changes to its Alexa platform and how it leverages user data, attempting to better capitalize on the massive amount of audio data they have access to on a regular basis. The push for this change is connected to their new upgraded product, Alexa Plus. Amazon has cleared stated in their updated policy that the data collected with be used to train its Alexa Plus models. Amazon has stated that only the phrases and words stated after their wake word (typically, “Hi, Alexa") would be recorded and transmitted.
There are two settings impacted by this change. The first change is removing an option labelled, “Do not send voice recording.” Removing this will now allow all recordings to be sent to Amazon. The second feature labelled, “Do not save voice recordings,” will be altered to the point that the device is rendered useless if enabled.
This brings up the question as to whether or not a human will have access to or be able to listen to these recordings. Amazon has not addressed this and has not stated any separation of access will be utilized within its platform. However, Amazon does not have a reliable history for honoring user privacy; it was discovered in 2019, that they had a large number of users listening to collected recordings for ‘transcription services.’ Even more recently, Amazon was forced to pay a multi-million dollar settlement for violating child privacy regulations.
A recent CNET Survey reported that 73% of Amazon Echo device users already believed their device transmitted data.
Why Are Only Certain Devices Impacted?
Only the Amazon Echo Dot (4th Gen), Echo Show 10, and Echo Show 15 are impacted by this update. All other currently-supported Amazon Alexa/Echo devices currently transmit their recordings to Amazon already.
This policy change ONLY impacts these devices and, ultimately brings them into the same recording-sharing policy as all other Alexa/Echo devices.
Some Important Points to Note
Amazon has reported that they encrypted data in transit, but have not stated that these recordings will be encrypted at rest. This means that any data sent would be ‘protected’ while transmitted to Amazon, but there is no guarantee that the data would be encrypted/protected once at Amazon and that others would not have access to that data.
Any data, including PII, that is recorded and transmitted and then used to train their system as well as available to employees. This is clearly in non-compliance with the FTC Safeguards Rule.
Other Alexa/Echo devices, including Fire TVs, are already within compliance of Amazon’s updated policy and transmitting data.
What Does This Really Matter?
While this may seem like a minor adjustment, it is a huge step against user privacy and it’s acceptance will encourage large tech to continue to erode at user privacy. Standing by idle is essentially the same thing as giving big tech the green light to continue to leverage our data.
The devices that users purchased under a specific feature-set at a cost have now been altered and will be rendered useless if the new lack of privacy policy is allowed.
What Should We Do?
It is our responsibility within financial services to be good stewards of the data we are entrusted to protect. If you have Amazon/Alexa/Echo devices within your office space, you should disable or remove them. Continued use of these devices is a risk to your client data and could be a violation of several regulations.
If you have Amazon/Alexa/Echo devices in your personal space, it is your decision as to whether you are personally accepting of your recordings being both shared and used to train Amazon models.
Financial Guardians is a proud member of InCite, the recently launched online community exclusively for tax professionals, bookkeepers, and accountants. InCite members receive a 30% discount.
