Microphones in Amazon's new smart glasses could secretly listen in to all conversations within earshot - 'Terrifying spyware'...
Microphones in Amazon's new smart glasses
that give wearer access to Alexa on-the-go could secretly listen in to all
conversations within earshot
- Amazon released its $180 pair of Alexa-powered smart
glasses yesterday
- Microphones are built into the frames that give
users access to Alexa
- Consumers fear the personal assistant can use device
to listen in on them
Amazon
unveiled a slew of new devices at an event this week, with one sparking fears of an ‘Orwellian’ world.
Called Echo Frames, these Alexa powered smart glasses have tiny
microphones built into the frame that allow the wearer to hear the personal
assistant and it hear them.
Consumers have voiced their fears of this ‘terrifying spyware’,
suggesting it is a threat to privacy as Alexa can hear and record what users
are saying – and it can pick up conversations within earshot.
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· Consumers have voiced their fears of this ‘terrifying spyware’,
suggesting it is a threat to privacy as Alexa can hear and record what users
are saying – and it can pick up conversations within earshot
Amazon has pitched its new Echo Frames as enabling users to have
hands-free access to Alexa.
You can hear notifications and alerts, activate smart home or call a
friend, ‘all without pulling out your phone’.
The glasses
are designed with open-ear technology that pushes sound directly to your ear,
but leaves your ears uncovered so the world around is not blocked.
The frames pair with the Alexa app and Amazon shared that the
microphones can be disabled by double-pressing the action button on the side –
as the firm wants to protect the privacy of its users.
Amazon unveiled a slew of new devices at an event this week, with one
sparking fears of an ‘Orwellian’ world
Joseph Jerome, an independent privacy consultant, told
DailyMail.com in an email, ‘Echo Frames are an interesting product, though they
may be more novelty than anything.'
'I think this is another attempt to try to figure out new form factors
for on-the-go connectivity beyond the phone, and headsets of all types seem
like the future.'
‘Tech companies and funders are betting big on AR/VR and so-called mixed
reality, and anyone can see the potential of an audio-controlled heads-up
display.
Amazon has pitched its new Echo Frames as enabling users to have
hands-free access to Alexa. You can hear notifications and alerts, activate
smart home or call a friend, ‘all without pulling out your phone’ -- similar to
technology seen in the Netflix series 'Black Mirror'
The device
costs just $180, but ‘Ahmed’ wrote ‘don’t be lulled, the $$ is in the data they
collect from you’
‘That's where we're headed, and it obviously presents both huge data
collection issues with respect to the wearer and privacy implications for what
that tech will ultimately observe.'
Many consumers flocked to Twitter following the release of Echo Frames
to voice their fears about these ‘data stealing’ glasses.
‘Terrifying spyware. It is deeply wrong to wear this crap. It infringes
my liberty as well as your own,’ wrote Twitter users Sam Jordison.
The device costs just $180, but ‘Ahmed’ wrote ‘don’t be lulled, the $$
is in the data they collect from you’.
User ‘razz’ noted that ‘doesn’t get more personal than a pair of glasses
on your face or more unexpected than a ring. Depending on what sensors each
device has inside we can figure out what data is being collected by @Amazon to
make up for those low prices’.
Another users jokingly said these glasses are a part of a ‘Stream your
life to Amazon’ episode.
The frames
pair with the Alexa app and Amazon shared that the microphones can be disabled
by double-pressing the action button on the side – as the firm wants to protect
the privacy of its users
‘Echo Frames are just another manifestation of Echo generally,’ Jerome
wrote.
‘These devices aren't intended to listen to conversations; they're
intended to listen to wake words and respond accordingly.
‘Now, we've obviously seen stories of where that went wrong.’
Other users
believe Amazon is intentionally selling Echo Frames at a low price
‘At this point, voice assistants will make mistakes and can activate at
the wrong time.
‘That's part of the reason the tech companies were reviewing audio
records to try to understand what could inadvertently set off Alexa.
‘There's also motivation to collect audio data to better improve voice
assistants, but that isn't the same thing as wanting to listen to
conversations.’
Some Twitter
users have made a joke about the privacy concerns surrounding Echo Frames
Many are sure Amazon is using this device to gather their data
‘I don't think consumers should be worried generally, but I also don't
think folks should put smart assistants in their bedrooms.’
‘If the concern is that these devices will capture conversations or
somehow help profile us with respect to our most sensitive activities, then it
just strikes me that bedrooms are an especially intimate area.’
‘It isn't that people shouldn't, but if we're really concerned about Orwellian
surveillance, where we put these devices in our homes matters.’
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