Are Alexa Always Listening?
In recent years, the popularity of smart speakers like Amazon’s Alexa has skyrocketed. But with this newfound convenience comes the question of privacy. Are Alexa always listening?
According to Florian Schaub, Assistant Professor in the University of Michigan School of Information, the microphones in these smart speakers “are always listening, but, by default, they are only listening for the ‘wake word’ or the activation keyword.” Since the whole purpose behind the device is to instantly respond to voice commands, it needs to be constantly listening for the wake word.
When the wake word is detected, the device sends the audio to the cloud for processing. After processing, the device responds to the command and the audio is deleted. Amazon also states that Alexa does not store the audio recordings until the wake word is detected.
So, while Alexa is always listening, it is only listening for the wake word. It is also important to note that the device will not respond to any other voice commands until the wake word is detected.
However, it is possible to turn off the microphone. This can be done by pressing the mute button on the device or through the Alexa app. When the microphone is muted, the device will not be able to hear the wake word and will not respond to any voice commands.
In conclusion, Alexa is always listening, but it is only listening for the wake word. It is also possible to turn off the microphone if desired.
