Alexa Mishap Has Device Owners, Businesses Worried

You've probably already heard that Alexa recorded a family's entire conversation and then emailed it to someone on their contact's list. For those of us who pay attention to this kind of thing, it wasn't a big surprise. Whether Alexa is testifying in a murder case or responding to newscasters, it should be clear to anyone owning one of these devices that they are always listening. Always. 

This is freaking out some customers who, apparently, didn't understand how Alexa works. According to a survey from Blue Fountain Media, 5% of those who own Alexa devices got rid of them because of concerns related to the enabled microphone. That's a relatively small percentage, but these incidents are bound to happen again, and that number will inevitably grow.

Meanwhile, these same concerns should be shared by enterprises looking to voice assistants to help around the office. With over 1,000 business skills listed for Echo, privacy concerns are surely on the minds of companies wondering if these devices are right for them.