Re: Sounds about right
Amazon does - because it is refusing to say exactly how much is being recorded
No, Amazon has repeatedly said what is being recorded, it's outlined in various documents on using the device (Ts&Cs etc.).
What you are saying that you don't believe what Amazon has said. There is a difference.
Amazon has stated multiple times, and in their documentation that (paraphrased), a correctly working device sends nothing to Amazon until the device is activated with its activation word or by pressing the button on the device itself. The Echo has enough processing power to identify the specific keywords, this is why the allowed list is so short, so it doesn't require much local processing to recognise it. Once it has been activated by the keyword/button press, it transmits a certain amount of following audio (10 seconds I think it is? I forget) to Amazon to then be parsed for the request, and this recording is saved for a certain period of time.
I personally believe that is how the device works and is intended to function. But I will not have one, because while that might be how Amazon operates now, it's quite possible for them to change how they operate, or to unintentionally introduce a bug that records more than it's supposed to (I think this has happened before? It might not have been Echo, but could have been a competing product), or it could be susceptible to being hacked - whether from criminals or the government. Therefore whether you trust the vendor or not, I think it is ridiculous for anyone to have an always-on mic (or video) sitting in a private place that could be a vector for an un-related, un-trusted body to exploit.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
