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Amazon device recorded private conversation, sent it out to random contact

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Re: Amazon device recorded private conversation, sent it out to random contact

#421

Post by NVRM »

ryanwaggoner wrote: post #131
NVRM wrote: post #89

But seriously what do you more or less expect from this. Anyone littlely involved in tech will tell to throw this shit out the window.

I'm "involved with tech" (developer for 15+ years) and I have two of them. You might also be horrified to learn that my house contains multiple smartphones, computers, routers, and other devices, all of which are connected to the internet! I enjoy living dangerously.

I am also a developer,living in countless universes, each enveloped in its own shell, compelled by the wheel of time, like particles of dust blowing about in the sky, and I don't understand what's wrong with you.

Re: Amazon device recorded private conversation, sent it out to random contact

#422

Post by nicky0 »

amhokies wrote: post #112
nicky0 wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you explain a bit more. What was the context of the message? was it an email? What was the subject line and the text? Was the audio an attachment or a link? A link to where...? "Amazon sent me a message" is so frustratingly vague...

You're able to send voice messages to other people that have an Alexa. Basically like voicemail.

Is this something you have to actively set up or does it come enabled by default?

Re: Amazon device recorded private conversation, sent it out to random contact

#423

Post by maherbeg »

newman8r wrote: post #2

The article doesn't explain much, but it sounds to me like the device mistakenly interpreted a voice command to record and send a message.

POST requests should require secondary verification from the user. GET requests are probably fine to execute.

Some POST requests may only need to let you know that they did it, such as adding a calendar reminder on to YOUR calendar. It should ask if it wants to send a calendar invite to someone else's calendar.

Re: Amazon device recorded private conversation, sent it out to random contact

#424

Post by pdkl95 »

nazz wrote: post #290
kinsomo wrote: post #253

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I have this idea of a system I would like to have in my house. It contains cameras in every room that are constantly watching where people are and relaying the coordinates to a central server. That server makes decisions on if lights should be on or if A/C should be running in that room. But I would never buy this system. I would have to make it myself. I am hopeful that open source software and hardware can produc…

Your solution is simple. However, it doesn't allow for as much modification as the original poster's idea. With his idea it could be modified in so many ways to add functionality because it wouldn't be limited by the technology. The solution you supplied will eventually be limited by the technology if the original poster wants to add other functions.

http://www.danielsen.com/jokes/objecttoaster.txt

> The second advisor, a software developer, immediately recognized the danger of such short-sighted thinking. [...] "A toaster that only makes toast will soon be obsolete. If we don't look to the future, we will have to completely redesign the toaster in just a few years."

Re: Amazon device recorded private conversation, sent it out to random contact

#425

Post by jimmaswell »

duxup wrote: post #327
yason wrote: post #297

I am oversimplifying here but: * install device that is designed to listen to speech in the house * the device is connected to internet * the device is capable of contacting other internet peers/services/hosts * the device knows a bit about its owner's internet presence such as contacts * the device is equipped with simple conversational user interface based on fuzzy human speech-command detection These basically bou…

I remember the first voice command stuff on google. Buddy of mine was trying it out and I couldn't help myself but shout: "NEW TEXT MESSAGE TO JENNY! FUCK YOU! SEND!" Fortunately the phone was too slow to take it all (even if it had Jenny would have found it amusing, she was a cube or two away). But yeah first thing I thought of was that if it's listening how easy is it for it to mistake intent or someone else or etc…

Ok Google has been a massive disappointment every time I've tried to use it. I tried "next song" while in Google Maps and it marked Exxon along the route. Then it played a song in a streaming app by "Max," wasting my data and making me close the streaming app I didn't even know I had and restart the music I wanted. "Next" turned out to work a bit better but it took multiple tries.

Re: Amazon device recorded private conversation, sent it out to random contact

#426

Post by jasonlotito »

snarf21 wrote: post #197
amzn_engineer1 wrote: post #66

What actually happened: Alexa misinterpreted some voice commands and activated a "call" skill. The people involved and local news got very excited and escalated this into a conspiracy story. Amazon takes customer privacy EXTREMELY seriously. There's no way a team would get the "ok" to build a skill that randomly records private conversations then sends them to a random contact. It also doesn't make any logical sense…

I get what you are saying but I would say that Amazon does NOT take privacy extremely seriously or this couldn't have happened. Let me be clear that I'm not saying they don't care at all or they are conspiring with the NSA. What I mean by the above is that the "call" skill is much different than the "weather" skill. All Alexa has to do is have a confirmation prompt in the "call" skill and this wouldn't have happened.…

> I get what you are saying but I would say that Amazon does NOT take privacy extremely seriously or this couldn't have happened.

Apple shared personal photos of myself onto the internet without my permission. I could not delete it without getting support to assist, and they could not provide me with a reason why this happened.

Would you say that Apple does not take privacy seriously?

Re: Amazon device recorded private conversation, sent it out to random contact

#427

Post by kinsomo »

Animats wrote: post #414
adrianN wrote: post #391

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Reporting an approximate number of people is not a trivial task, even with a real camera. Depending on what exactly you mean with "approximate", of course.

0, 1, a few, many. Just enough to tell you how much to crank up the HVAC.

> 0, 1, a few, many. Just enough to tell you how much to crank up the HVAC.

I don't think the number of people in a room will give you meaningful information to tell you "how much to crank up the HVAC." Also, the HVAC systems in most homes aren't capable of even cranking up the HVAC in a particular room.

Re: Amazon device recorded private conversation, sent it out to random contact

#428

Post by rdiddly »

BonesJustice wrote: post #401
tj-teej wrote: post #317

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you replace "fuzzy human speech-command detection" with "buttons which can accidentally be pressed" - how is this different from butt-dialing?

I can't pick up my coworker's phone and manually dial a number, because years of learning from our mistakes have led us to implement lock screens and such. I can, however, say "Hey Siri, call 867-5309." Or "Hey Siri, Facebook status: my anus is bleeding. SEND!" Because we are apparently incapable of applying past lessons to new technologies.

If they operate anything like the way I operate, they know there should be some kind of lock on there, they just haven't gotten around to building that part yet.

And if their management is anything like my management, they go ahead and release it anyway.

Re: Amazon device recorded private conversation, sent it out to random contact

#429

Post by econochoice »

pessimizer wrote: post #373
kinsomo wrote: post #330

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> You would be collecting data from many sources in order to predict intent. This is why you need a centralized server. Please explain, exactly, what other sources you would collect data from and how the central server would process it to determine if I want the lights on in the middle of the night. IMHO, determining intent in this scenario is impossible without... 1. a mind-reading sensor, or... 2. an explicit user…

> Please explain how, exactly, what other sources you would collect data from and how the central server would process it to determine if I want the lights on. The more data, the more smarter. In fact, the only difference between a thermostat and the human mind is the number of datas. This is because the Law of Averages predicts that half of all datas will be relevant.

> The more data, the more smarter.

There are several important caveats to this statement.

> In fact, the only difference between a thermostat and the human mind is the number of datas.

This is an oversimplification that borders on dogma.

> This is because the Law of Averages predicts that half of all datas will be relevant.

An interesting interpretation and application.

Re: Amazon device recorded private conversation, sent it out to random contact

#430

Post by tonyarkles »

hunter2_ wrote: post #396
JackCh wrote: post #335

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Eh, it encourages me to get up and have a stretch periodically.

That doesn't work in a toilet stall.

Every time! The coffee shop by my old house had motion sensing lights in the washroom, and every damned time I would be plunged into darkness half-way through my visit... Urgh.
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