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TECHNOLOGY Saturday 31 december 2016

AP Explains: How Amazon Echo listens and what it stores

ANICK JESDANUN
AP Technology Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Can Am-
azon’s Echo speaker really
be a witness to a murder?
Authorities investigating
the death of an Arkansas
man found floating face-
up in a hot tub believe that
Amazon might have some
evidence, given how Echo
listens for commands and
questions and communi-
cates with Amazon’s serv-
ers to respond.
Details are scant. Here’s
what’s known:
HOW ECHO WORKS
Echo is designed to be
the hub of the smart
home . The software that
powers it, Alexa, is con-
stantly listening for com-
mands such as a request
to turn on the lights or play
music, or questions such as
what the weather’s like.
Though it’s possible to do
many of these tasks using
a smartphone app, issuing
a voice command keeps
your hands free.
IS IT SNOOPING?
No, according to Amazon.
Although Alexa is always
listening, Amazon says Al-
exa ignores what’s said This July 29, 2015, file photo shows Amazon’s Echo speaker, which responds to voice commands, in New York.
until you trigger it with the Associated Press
“wake word” Alexa (you
can change the wake Commands and questions Bates, who has been have been overwritten al- for instance, insists that any
word to Amazon or Echo). preceded by the wake charged with murder. An ready, though, as Alexa communications are tied
Only then does the Echo word do go to Amazon. Echo was found in the kitch- continues to listen for the to a random identifier, not
pass on the command or Those voice snippets and en. It’s not known what Am- wake word. your Apple ID or anything
question to Amazon’s serv- transcripts, along with Al- azon has on its servers. It’s Benton County Prosecuting personally identifiable.
ers for processing. A blue exa’s responses, are stored unlikely that anyone asked Attorney Nathan Smith has Google, on the other hand,
light on the Echo comes on on Amazon’s servers. You Alexa directly on how to said that he has no idea if ties everything to your ac-
to let you know that’s hap- can delete any or all such commit murder, but the the device recorded any- count — the company says
pening. recordings through Ama- device might have picked thing related to the death, it can offer a better, more
You could argue that be- zon’s Alexa app, though up background chatter or but authorities want to personalized experience
cause Alexa is always lis- you lose some of the per- noise when fielding a rou- check everything as part of that way.
tening, that’s snooping. sonalization that comes tine request to play a song. their investigation. In that sense, Google’s new
But it would be the same as from Alexa knowing your It’s also possible that the IS ALEXA ALONE? Home speaker is much like
talking to a tape recorder. past requests. Echo itself has stored snip- All voice assistants — in- Echo. Google says nothing
What you say is private un- WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO pets of conversations prior cluding Google’s Assistant, gets passed onto its servers
less you give that tape re- DO WITH THE ARKANSAS to identifying a wake word. Apple’s Siri and Microsoft’s until Home hears the key-
corder to someone else. If CASE? The snippet might have Cortana — communicate word “OK Google.” As with
you’re paranoid, the Echo Police believe Victor Col- been stored temporarily as with company servers to Amazon, Google offers a
has a mute button to dis- lins was strangled and the device analyzes wheth- process requests. way to delete history data,
able the microphones en- drowned in the home of er it’s a wake word. Any They differ in what they do but otherwise keeps every-
tirely. Or just unplug it. a friend, James Andrew such snippet likely would from there, though. Apple, thing by default.q
WHAT AMAZON KNOWS