Amazon Alexa

Transparency and accountability 🔥

Amazon Alexa is associated with important transparency and accountability limitations.

• Algorithmic black box. The underlying algorithms that power Alexa's responses and recommendations are not publicly disclosed.

• Voice data handling. It is not always clear how Amazon stores, processes, and uses the voice recordings it collects from users.

• Privacy controls. While privacy settings exist, they are complex for average users to understand and manage effectively.

• Child privacy. The specific safeguards for children's data in households with Alexa devices are unclear.

• Data sharing. Amazon's policies on sharing Alexa data with advertisers or other third parties are vague and subject to change.

• Unintended activation. It is not always clear when Alexa is listening or how accidental recordings are handled.

• Security measures. While Amazon claims strong security, the specifics of how they protect user data and devices are not fully disclosed.

• Human review. The extent and nature of human review of Alexa recordings for quality improvement is not transparent.

Risks and harms 🛑

Alexa is seen to pose a wide range of potential risks and caused actual harms to its users, including:

• Privacy & surveillance. Amazon has retained children's voice recordings and geolocation data indefinitely, even after parents requested deletion. It also used children's voice recordings without parental knowledge to train Alexa.

• Accuracy/reliability. Alexa can produce false and misleading information, including mis- and disinformation, leading to confusion.

• Bias/discrimination. Alexa can produce biased and stereotyped information.

• Safety. Alexa can produce offensive and unsafe information.

• Robustness. Alexa devices have responded to unintended stimuli like TV commercials or news reports, sometimes resulting in accidental purchases. 

Legal, regulatory 👩🏼‍⚖️

• C.O. v Amazon, A2Z Development Center (2019) (pdf)

• R.A. v Amazon, A2Z Development Center (2019) (pdf) 

Research, advocacy 🧮

• Ofcom/Community Research (2022). Smart speakers research with the public (pdf)

• Iqbal U. et al (2022). Your Echos are Heard: Tracking, Profiling, and Ad Targeting in the Amazon Smart Speaker Ecosystem

• Mavrina L. et al (2022). “Alexa, You're Really Stupid”: A Longitudinal Field Study on Communication Breakdowns Between Family Members and a Voice Assistant

• Wilson C. (2020). Dangerous Skills Got Certified: Measuring the Trustworthiness of Amazon Alexa Platform (pdf)

• UNESCO (2019). I'd blush if I could: closing gender divides in digital skills through education

News, commentary, analysis 🗞️

• https://time.com/6216722/how-ai-tech-harms-children/

• https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/sep/28/voice-assistants-could-hinder-childrens-social-and-cognitive-development