Your Smart Light Can Tell Amazon and Google When You Go to Bed
As Amazon.com Inc. and Google work to place their smart speakers at the center of the internet-connected home, both technology giants are expanding the amount of data they gather about customers who use their voice software to control other gadgets.
For several years, Amazon and Google have collected data every time someone used a smart speaker to turn on a light or lock a door. Now they’re asking smart-home gadget makers such as Logitech and Hunter Fan Co. to send a continuous stream of information.
In other words, after you connect a light fixture to Alexa, Amazon wants to know every time the light is turned on or off, regardless of whether you asked Alexa to toggle the switch. Televisions must report the channel they’re set to. Smart locks must keep the company apprised whether or not the front door bolt is engaged.
“how many servers could it take to turn on a light bulb lol”
Philips: hold my beer pic.twitter.com/vEw9C6eGtl— Internet of Shit (@internetofshit)April 16, 2018
Burger King made a commercial that intentionally sets off voice assistants. Oh lord. pic.twitter.com/vVOlffUTeP (via @glowgow)
— Internet of Shit (@internetofshit)April 12, 2017
Why are you sat in the dark?
Because Amazon is down :( pic.twitter.com/thbnlKHcnf— Robin (@digininja)February 28, 2017
Police seek Amazon Echo data in murder case
Amazon’s Echo devices and its virtual assistant are meant to help find answers by listening for your voice commands. However, police in Arkansas want to know if one of the gadgets overheard something that can help with a murder case. According to The Information, authorities in Bentonville issued a warrant for Amazon to hand over any audio or records from an Echo belonging to James Andrew Bates. Bates is set to go to trial for first-degree murder for the death of Victor Collins next year.
Amazon declined to give police any of the information that the Echo logged on its servers, but it did hand over Bates’ account details and purchases. Police say they were able to pull data off of the speaker, but it’s unclear what info they were able to access. Due to the so-called always on nature of the connected device, the authorities are after any audio the speaker may have picked up that night. Sure, the Echo is activated by certain words, but it’s not uncommon for the IoT gadget to be alerted to listen by accident.
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