Computer geeks-- question about Alexa

[Rocketgirl]

The other day Amazon automatically updated and has a feature called Amazon sidewalk. The update sets it to on and this feature shares your internet connection with neighbors. If you don’t like this feature, you need to sign in to the app and in the settings turn it off. Not sure if it’s related to your issue but definitely a possible security concern for some. I turned mine off.

 

[Snapdragon]

The other day Amazon automatically updated and has a feature called Amazon sidewalk. The update sets it to on and this feature shares your internet connection with neighbors. If you don’t like this feature, you need to sign in to the app and in the settings turn it off. Not sure if it’s related to your issue but definitely a possible security concern for some. I turned mine off.

I opted out of it, thanks. (But I will double check to make sure it stuck.)

 

[marvin02]

I've told her that her voice carries across rooms

She'll want to know why you can't hear her.

@Snapdragon - check your history and see what activated it. Online with computer will probably be easier and give more info.

 

[nonobaddog]

If you don't want the cameras to peek at you, I wouldn't trust just turning them off. Just put a small piece of tape over the lens. Not transparent Scotch tape either, the blue painters tape is good for this - easy to remove when you want to and doesn't leave sticky stuff.

 

[churchmouse]

Just don’t let them in your home.

 

[nonobaddog]

Just don’t let them in your home.

I have a few security cameras so I can see a few views in my house from anywhere on the phone or ipad. This is nice when I am at the cabin or anywhere really. I get a notification whenever they detect motion so if someone were in my house I could talk to them and call them names and save the video and audio for the police.

I can cut the power to them from the phone if I want to run around naked or something but I find it more convenient to just put a box over them.

The video it stores in the cloud is supposed to be private but I do not believe that completely. I believe they are watching and listening anytime they have power but somebody would have to be very bored to look at that. There are so many cameras like that in use now and I don't do anything to call attention to me so it becomes security by obscurity.

 

[bwframe]

 

[Snapdragon]

She'll want to know why you can't hear her.

@Snapdragon - check your history and see what activated it. Online with computer will probably be easier and give more info.

I checked history. The first entry for today was me telling Alexa to quit (after she kept asking me "Who would you like me to send it to?"). That happened at 2am and there is nothing in history indicating what caused her to ask that.

 

[Snapdragon]

If you don't want the cameras to peek at you, I wouldn't trust just turning them off. Just put a small piece of tape over the lens. Not transparent Scotch tape either, the blue painters tape is good for this - easy to remove when you want to and doesn't leave sticky stuff.

Meh. They are turned off manually, and that's good enough for me. Not really anything to see here.

 

[nonobaddog]

I checked history. The first entry for today was me telling Alexa to quit (after she kept asking me "Who would you like me to send it to?"). That happened at 2am and there is nothing in history indicating what caused her to ask that.

That is weird. Do you have any speaker groups so the same music plays on more than one device at a time?

 

[Snapdragon]

That is weird. Do you have any speaker groups so the same music plays on more than one device at a time?

No. I don't really play a lot of music on it.

 

[nonobaddog]

One friend had his set up so he could tell it to open the garage door. Then he found out he could yell at it from outside by a window and open the garage so he turned that off.

 

[Snapdragon]

I'll unplug and replug tonight and see if anything else weird happens.

 

[wcd]

Could it be that it’s really Alex and he identifies as Alexa? Seriously seems like yours may have been compromise.

 

[nonobaddog]

I'll unplug and replug tonight and see if anything else weird happens.

Do you use Alexa Drop In?
Or do you let any neighbors use your wifi by giving them your password?
I am assuming your wifi is password protected.

 

[JCSR]

The other day Amazon automatically updated and has a feature called Amazon sidewalk. The update sets it to on and this feature shares your internet connection with neighbors. If you don’t like this feature, you need to sign in to the app and in the settings turn it off. Not sure if it’s related to your issue but definitely a possible security concern for some. I turned mine off.

This ^^^^^^^

 

[Snapdragon]

Do you use Alexa Drop In?
Or do you let any neighbors use your wifi by giving them your password?
I am assuming your wifi is password protected.

Wifi is password protected. I opted out of sidewalk.

 

[churchmouse]

If you

I have a few security cameras so I can see a few views in my house from anywhere on the phone or ipad. This is nice when I am at the cabin or anywhere really. I get a notification whenever they detect motion so if someone were in my house I could talk to them and call them names and save the video and audio for the police.

I can cut the power to them from the phone if I want to run around naked or something but I find it more convenient to just put a box over them.

The video it stores in the cloud is supposed to be private but I do not believe that completely. I believe they are watching and listening anytime they have power but somebody would have to be very bored to look at that. There are so many cameras like that in use now and I don't do anything to call attention to me so it becomes security by obscurity.

My security system does not alert me to anything but it stores up to 80 hours and lets me save that if I wish to before it dumps. I can open a link on my cell if I choose to do so but it stays down unless I am in serious need to have a look when I am gone. That is the only open channel to anything outside the system.
If you are tied to the web and the cloud you are subject to about anything. I tend to stay away from those ties outside them tracking every other thing we do.

 

[thompal]

The cameras on all three units are turned off.

As far as you know.

 

[gregkl]

Well BW, that will have people thinking about their tech.