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What part of the paper gives you the impression they imply voice assistants are listening to everything? I don’t get that. The discussion in the paper is nuanc

What part of the paper gives you the impression they imply voice assistants are listening to everything? I don’t get that. The discussion in the paper is nuanced on that point and does not make that claim as far as I read it. Section 2.2 (page 2): > The content of users’ speech can reveal sensitive information (e.g., private conversations) and the voice signals can be processed to infer potentially sensitive information about the user (e.g., age, gender, health [82]). Amazon aims to limit some of these privacy issues through its platform design choices [4]. Specifically, to avoid snooping on sensitive conversations, *voice input is only recorded when a user utters the wake word*, e.g., Alexa. Further, only processed transcriptions of voice input (not the audio data) is shared with third party skills, instead of the raw audio [32]. However, despite these design choices, prior research has also shown that smart speakers often misactivate and unintentionally record con- versations [59]. In fact, there have been several real-world instances where smart speakers recorded user conversations, without users ever uttering the wake word [63].

yunohn 4y ago
Alexa uses the data we give to it by speaking and performing actions via downloaded skills - is very similar to all ad platforms, conveying user intent into ad profiles. Saying “process voice for ads” has subtle connotations in the current landscape of privacy discussions.
- fddhjjj 4y ago
  As clarification, you are objecting to the phrase “process voice to [serve] ads” in the title which was provided by the submitter not the paper authors?
  - yunohn 4y ago
    From the abstract: > We find that Amazon processes voice data to infer user interests and uses it to serve targeted ads on-platform
- anon4272728 4y ago
  Unlike other ad platforms, Amazon claims that they do not use voice data for ad targeting. From paper: Amazon has publicly stated that it does not use voice data for targeted advertisements [83], [75]. https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/are-smart-speakers-planting-ads-on-our-social-media-profiles/157153/ https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/are-smart-speakers-plant...
  - i_am_jl 4y ago
    I'm sure Amazon isn't processing voice data to target ads. Why would they need to? They're using skill interaction, order history, listening history, etc to target ads.
- mannykannot 4y ago
  "Subtle connotations" are not much to make an objective complaint out of.
- bradleybuda 4y ago
  For example, this sibling comment: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31178067 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31178067
- slg 4y ago
  >Alexa uses the data we give to it by speaking and performing actions via downloaded skills - is very similar to all ad platforms, conveying user intent into ad profiles. There is an argument that this is more privacy conscience than other ad platforms. One needs to say the word "Alexa" before Amazon will collect any potential targeting data. There is an active and distinct choice that must be made before every interaction. That isn't true for Google and Facebook. They will collect data in the background while you are doing other things. There is much less transparency in when and how they are collecting their targeting data and therefore we have much less agency in the process.
zenithd 4y ago
jasonlotito 4y ago
> What part of the paper gives you the impression they imply voice assistants are listening to everything? For me, it's this: "Your Echos are Heard" So, the opening salvo. That's what gives me the impression they imply voice assistances are listening to everything. I don't refer to voice commands or normal interaction as "echos" so the user of the word "echos" here implies something nefarious. Sure, it's the name of the product, but for me, it reads like something more.
- samhw 4y ago
  - jldugger 4y ago
    Is there a name for when people giving advice fail to heed their own warning? Perhaps a humorously long german word.
    - samhw 4y ago
      Irony? ;)
  - oehpr 4y ago
    Wu.. WOW That was a hostile response for what seemed like a reasonable position. Tell me samhw: If I told you I had a bunch of echos in my garage. Would you be wondering why I just said "I have a bunch of voice commands issued to my echo in my garage"? No. You would not. It's not an unreasonable position So tell me why it deserved that response.
    - samhw 4y ago
      Sorry, I don't mean to be overly harsh, but your comment amounts to > I personally don't use the word 'echo' in connection to vocal communication, which (for some incomprehensible reason) means that, when someone else uses the word 'echo' thusly, they are implying something nefarious. > Oh, and not just something nefarious, but specifically that they are eavesdropping on every word you say (also: every breath you take, every move you make, &c). Somehow. > In summation: they are spying on everything you say, because they used the word 'echo' in their marketing material about a voice assistant. QED. I mean, this is barely even intelligible as a line of reasoning. I assumed it was dashed off quickly and without really thinking. If it represents your considered opinion, then perhaps I'm missing something very obvious, I don't know.

yunohn 4y ago

Alexa uses the data we give to it by speaking and performing actions via downloaded skills - is very similar to all ad platforms, conveying user intent into ad profiles. Saying “process voice for ads” has subtle connotations in the current landscape of privacy discussions.

fddhjjj 4y ago
As clarification, you are objecting to the phrase “process voice to [serve] ads” in the title which was provided by the submitter not the paper authors?
- yunohn 4y ago
  From the abstract: > We find that Amazon processes voice data to infer user interests and uses it to serve targeted ads on-platform
anon4272728 4y ago
Unlike other ad platforms, Amazon claims that they do not use voice data for ad targeting. From paper: Amazon has publicly stated that it does not use voice data for targeted advertisements [83], [75]. https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/are-smart-speakers-planting-ads-on-our-social-media-profiles/157153/ https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/are-smart-speakers-plant...
- i_am_jl 4y ago
  I'm sure Amazon isn't processing voice data to target ads. Why would they need to? They're using skill interaction, order history, listening history, etc to target ads.
mannykannot 4y ago
"Subtle connotations" are not much to make an objective complaint out of.
bradleybuda 4y ago
For example, this sibling comment: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31178067 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31178067
slg 4y ago
>Alexa uses the data we give to it by speaking and performing actions via downloaded skills - is very similar to all ad platforms, conveying user intent into ad profiles. There is an argument that this is more privacy conscience than other ad platforms. One needs to say the word "Alexa" before Amazon will collect any potential targeting data. There is an active and distinct choice that must be made before every interaction. That isn't true for Google and Facebook. They will collect data in the background while you are doing other things. There is much less transparency in when and how they are collecting their targeting data and therefore we have much less agency in the process.

zenithd 4y ago

jasonlotito 4y ago

> What part of the paper gives you the impression they imply voice assistants are listening to everything? For me, it's this: "Your Echos are Heard" So, the opening salvo. That's what gives me the impression they imply voice assistances are listening to everything. I don't refer to voice commands or normal interaction as "echos" so the user of the word "echos" here implies something nefarious. Sure, it's the name of the product, but for me, it reads like something more.

samhw 4y ago
- jldugger 4y ago
  Is there a name for when people giving advice fail to heed their own warning? Perhaps a humorously long german word.
  - samhw 4y ago
    Irony? ;)
- oehpr 4y ago
  Wu.. WOW That was a hostile response for what seemed like a reasonable position. Tell me samhw: If I told you I had a bunch of echos in my garage. Would you be wondering why I just said "I have a bunch of voice commands issued to my echo in my garage"? No. You would not. It's not an unreasonable position So tell me why it deserved that response.
  - samhw 4y ago
    Sorry, I don't mean to be overly harsh, but your comment amounts to > I personally don't use the word 'echo' in connection to vocal communication, which (for some incomprehensible reason) means that, when someone else uses the word 'echo' thusly, they are implying something nefarious. > Oh, and not just something nefarious, but specifically that they are eavesdropping on every word you say (also: every breath you take, every move you make, &c). Somehow. > In summation: they are spying on everything you say, because they used the word 'echo' in their marketing material about a voice assistant. QED. I mean, this is barely even intelligible as a line of reasoning. I assumed it was dashed off quickly and without really thinking. If it represents your considered opinion, then perhaps I'm missing something very obvious, I don't know.