With more people working remotely than ever, it’s concerning to think that Alexa is secretly listening in and storing your conversations. Here, we’ll provide a list of tips for taking back some of your privacy while still making the most of your Alexa devices.
1. Use Alexa’s Built-In Privacy Features
Press the microphone off button located on the top of your Alexa. It’s characterized by a circle or microphone with a line through it. To reactivate the mic, press the button again. If you have a camera-enabled device, like an Echo Show, go to Settings > Device Options and turn off Enable camera. Alternatively, say, “Alexa, turn off the camera”. If you have an Echo Show 5 or later, a physical camera shutter is located on the top, to the right. This shutter acts as a physical barrier between you and the camera. Slide it across until you see orange on the slider.
2. Unplug or Move Your Alexa
If you fear that the built-in features could be overwritten, then an effective solution could be to simply unplug your Alexa device or move it to another room. For example, suppose you’re discussing confidential company secrets or client account information. In that case, it might be best just to disconnect your device.
Don’t worry; when you unplug Alexa, nothing will be reset or deleted. However, it may take 30 seconds to a minute to switch back on completely.
3. Delete Your Voice Recordings
You can say, “Alexa delete what I just said”, or “Alexa, delete everything I said today”. If you’d like to delete all of your previous recordings, just say, “Alexa, delete everything I’ve ever said”.
Alternatively, you can review and delete your transcripts in the Alexa app. To delete your history:
Navigate to Settings > Alexa Privacy > Review Voice History, then tap the dropdown arrow on the “Displaying” section. Tap Filter by date. Select the period you want to delete. Tap Delete all recordings, then finally press Delete.
4. Disable Future Voice Recordings
To turn off future voice recordings, navigate to Settings > Alexa Privacy > Manage Your Alexa Data. Once there, tap Choose how long to save recordings. There, you’ll be able to select if you’d like to only save voice recordings from the last 18 months, 3 months, or not at all. Finally, press Confirm to save your changes.
5. Opt-Out of Quality Monitoring
6. Delete Unused Skills
Like all smart home devices, there is a minuscule risk of malicious actors hacking your Alexa device. According to a post from Malwarebytes, research in 2018 indicated that some skills could be manipulated to keep listening, even after termination. They can be programmed to self-terminate, indicated by a voice response such as “Goodbye!”, then continue to run and listen in the background.
7. Edit Skill Permissions
Your skill permissions determine what personal information is shared with 3rd-party skills. It’s wise to go through them occasionally to ensure you’re comfortable with the information being shared, especially if you have family members who install skills without you knowing.
To edit your skill permissions, navigate to Settings > Alexa Privacy > Manage Skill Permissions. You’ll see a list of each permission, such as your location or first name. Tap each section to see which skills are using your information. If you’d like to disable permission for a specific skill, tap the slider and press Confirm on the popup.
However, it’s easy to maintain the best account security practices.
I. Password Security
Start by creating a strong password that you don’t use anywhere else, ideally, more than 10 characters long and made up of a mixture of letters, numbers, and symbols. Then, test your password’s strength using a strength checker.
II. Add Two-Factor Authentication
Protecting Your Privacy With Alexa Around
By taking action and following these steps, you can put yourself and your family on the right path to preserving your privacy.
Take the time to address your family’s concerns about Alexa and any bad experiences they’ve had. Using these tips, you should be able to provide some peace of mind to any privacy-focused individual.
