I don’t own an Echo, and Alexa is not listening to all of the conversations in my home. If that were the case, I would have no credibility in writing weekly Privacy Tips.
Echo has evolved, and now I am told and have read that the newest craze is the Echo Show. (Shocker–I don’t have an Echo Show either.) I am told that an Echo Show does everything Echo did, but now it has a camera and can and is recording video of you and your family whenever you use it. (I have tape over the camera of my laptop and smartphone, so that just wouldn’t work for me.)
If you are into the latest crazes and you have purchased an Echo Show, be aware that it is recording video of you and your family every time it is on, whether you are using it or not.
Even more concerning is the “Drop In” feature. That feature allows you to “drop in” on your friends and family and when you do, it automatically drops in, even if the person doesn’t answer the request. Your request actually activates the other person’s camera and turns it on so you can see the person. That means that if you have allowed a friend to use the drop in feature, and you are getting out of the shower and your Echo Show is in the bedroom, even if you don’t answer it, the camera is activated and the person on the other end can see you through the camera.
If this feature is something that interests you and you don’t find it offensive, be respectful of your friends and family, and be careful where the Echo Show is located in your home, especially when you might be doing something more personal than fixing dinner.