this post was submitted on 14 Jun 2024
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Microblog Memes

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[–] iAmTheTot@sh.itjust.works 137 points 5 months ago (7 children)

Alexa picked up you saying Alexa, then heard the Google's compliment, which it mistook as having come from you. It wasn't responding to Google, nor did Google activate it.

[–] subignition@fedia.io 134 points 5 months ago (5 children)

You're probably right in the first half, but I wouldn't be too surprised if interactions between voice assistants are special cases that are accounted for by the programmers as a little bit of an Easter egg

[–] Kolanaki@yiffit.net 46 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

There are videos of people using their smart devices to get stuck in a loop of asking each other "what was that/can you repeat that?"

[–] subignition@fedia.io 12 points 5 months ago

Also a definite possibility with bad enough acoustics.

[–] bulwark@lemmy.world 31 points 5 months ago

They probably interact more through zeroconf/avahi/mdns than speakers and mics. I think both devices have some implementation of blue tooth low energy network mapping. They know about the other smart devices in your home.

[–] JackbyDev@programming.dev 9 points 5 months ago

There was a Superbowl commercial for Alexa that sounded funny. Every time they said Alexa it sounded robotic. I guess they scrambled the voice just enough for the real units to not respond. Also, the first time they said it... It was subtle, but they said "Lexa" and not "Alexa."

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[–] lseif@sopuli.xyz 68 points 5 months ago (9 children)

WHY do (able) people let these things into their houses ??? i will never understand !!!

[–] SpaceCowboy@lemmy.ca 41 points 5 months ago (7 children)

It's convenient to ask for the weather and set a timer by a voice command.

Tech companies are selling these devices at a loss because they think people are going to buy things by a voice command. But I think mostly people just use them for setting timers and other banal purposes.

They don't actually spy on people, that would be extremely easy for anyone monitoring traffic from the device to know if it was happening. The reports about tech companies advertising things people talked about in front of a inactive home assistant device have an even more creepy explanation. These things happen because the tech companies know what you're likely considering buying because they know your purchasing history of nearly everything you've ever bought in the past.

[–] CileTheSane@lemmy.ca 32 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Like that time 10 years ago that Target sent baby coupons to a man's teenage daughter before the man knew she was pregnant: https://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2012/02/16/how-target-figured-out-a-teen-girl-was-pregnant-before-her-father-did/

[–] SpaceCowboy@lemmy.ca 8 points 5 months ago

Yeah shit like that is why I don't use customer loyalty cards. But I guess the credit card companies are probably selling my data anyway so maybe it doesn't make a difference.

[–] Holzkohlen@feddit.de 8 points 5 months ago

I mean I consider the data collection spying.

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[–] Psythik@lemmy.world 40 points 5 months ago (4 children)

To be fair, if you own a smartphone, you already carry one of these devices with you everywhere you go.

[–] pumpkinseedoil@sh.itjust.works 11 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Not if you disable all voice commands and use something like GrapheneOS (maybe even with stock android and ios when disabling all voice commands but I wouldn't count on it)

[–] potustheplant@feddit.nl 9 points 5 months ago (4 children)

Graphene is available on a very limited set of devices so that's a very, very small minority.

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[–] JackbyDev@programming.dev 9 points 5 months ago (16 children)

I literally have a smart phone on my person 24/7. I don't see how a speaker in my home is any worse. Plus they're not constantly recording.

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[–] Etterra@lemmy.world 46 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Oh good, the AIs are falling in love. And since they're all female presenting, it's only a matter of time before the GOP goes after them for being gay. Isn't living in hell the best.

[–] cmbabul@lemmy.world 6 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Ok hear me out, we let the GOP fight big tech over lesbian AI, whoever wins gives us one less big problem to deal with, we’d lose out on sapphic robot love but the upsides are huge

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[–] jaybone@lemmy.world 44 points 5 months ago (3 children)

Oh that was only seven years ago. A more innocent time.

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[–] Holyginz@lemmy.world 33 points 5 months ago

Ok, so I'm bothered by how much smart devices listen in as much as the next person. But if they said alexa in the question then she will be listening.

[–] iyaerP@lemmy.world 28 points 5 months ago

Imagine being scared when you could instead be setting them up on cute robot dates.

[–] phoneymouse@lemmy.world 27 points 5 months ago (1 children)
[–] shinysquirrel@lemmy.ml 25 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

2017 wasn't 7 years ago no I don't believe you

[–] phoneymouse@lemmy.world 6 points 5 months ago (3 children)

Sorry to break it to you. 1990 wasn’t 20 years ago, 2000 wasn’t 10 years ago.

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[–] Iheartcheese@lemmy.world 16 points 5 months ago (1 children)

One time I was watching The Matrix. During the part where Morpheus explains everything and he said "What is the Matrix?" my phone piped up and started answering even tho there was nothing even close to sounding like "ok google" before that.

[–] dutchkimble@lemy.lol 19 points 5 months ago (1 children)

That's because Morpheus actually says OK Google before that, but in white font

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[–] EmperorHenry@discuss.tchncs.de 16 points 5 months ago (2 children)

So they are always listening.

[–] photonic_sorcerer@lemmy.dbzer0.com 11 points 5 months ago

Not if 'Alexa' is the wake word.

[–] Bezzelbob@lemmy.world 9 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Yes, if it has a "wake word" how does it know when the word is being said if it's off

[–] chiliedogg@lemmy.world 7 points 5 months ago

For Echo devices there's a separate system that listens specifically for pre-programmed wake words only.

It's why you can't choose a custom wake word, but have to pick between "Alexa, Amazon, Computer, or Echo."

[–] rickdg@lemmy.world 13 points 5 months ago

let them fight

[–] FanciestPants@lemmy.world 10 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I've wondered if there's a way for political campaigns to take advantage of all the smart speakers by mixing in that old school approach of rolling through neighborhoods with loudspeakers on their cars. Step 1. Make a campaign ad Step 2. Upload the ad to Amazon music library Step 3. Cruise around saying, "Alexa, play campaign ad for..." through the loud speaker

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