A TECH expert has warned people to not put their Amazon Echo Alexa devices in their bedrooms.
While the new gadgets may have been an excellent Christmas present, users may get more than they bargained for.
A tech expert has warned people to not put the Amazon Alexa Echo in their bedroom
The Echo gadgets, more commonly known by the name of their AI assistant Alexa, can do everything from give you updates on the news or weather to setting alarms and playing your favourite song using voice control.
However, some users may not know that the devices are capable of recording conversations around them, reports the Mirror.
Dr Hannah Fry, a mathematician and expert on tech company algorithms at University College London, said that the gadget should be kept out of private spaces.
She explained: “I think there are some spaces in your home, like the bedroom and bathroom, which should remain completely private.
“This technology is activated by a trigger word but it keeps recording for a short period afterwards. People accept that, but we should all spend more time thinking about what it means for us.”
While the technology functions as a great time-saver, it may make it all too easy to be sharing private information.
These devices are usually on all of the time and will be collecting everything you say.
Amazon previously confirmed that staff sometimes listen to customer conversations through Alexa.
The retail giant said that these recordings are used in research to help improve the device’s understanding of human speech.
A report by news site Bloomberg also suggested many users are unaware people may be listening in to the conversations they have with their Echo nearby.
Each member of staff is able to review up to 1,000 audio clips a day.
But following user feedback, there is now a way to switch off some of the recording features on your device.
To do this, open the Alexa app on your smartphone and go to settings.
Then go to Alexa privacy and select “Manage Your Alexa Data”.
Press “How Long to Save Recordings”, then “Don’t Save Recordings”, and select confirm.
Next, scroll down to Help Improve Alexa, and switch the Use of Voice Recordings to off.