An opt-in Alexa feature called ‘Do Not Send Voice Records’ stops requests from being sent to the company. It will soon be removed from Echo devices, Amazon confirmed to USA TODAY.
Amazon is planning to remove a privacy setting on its Echo devices later this month that will allow virtually all voice requests to go to the company’s cloud.
The company’s cloud-based voice service Alexa currently offers an opt-in feature called “Do Not Send Voice Recordings.” It stops audio requests from being sent to the company.
Starting March 28, the feature will end and convert into an already existing setting called “Don’t Save Recordings,” the company recently told Echo owners via email. While this feature will still automatically delete voice requests, they will process to “Amazon’s secure cloud” beforehand.
Regardless of whether the “Don’t Save Recordings” feature is on or off, all Alexa requests will process to the cloud, Amazon says.
“The Alexa experience is designed to protect our customers’ privacy and keep their data secure, and that’s not changing,” an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement to USA TODAY. “We’re focusing on the privacy tools and controls that our customers use most and work well with generative AI experiences that rely on the processing power of Amazon’s secure cloud.”
Users with this setting on will also no longer be able to use voice ID, a feature that allows Alexa to recognize their voice, unlike the current version.
How many Echo owners used this setting?
Amazon says that less than 0.03% of Echo owners opted to use the “Do Not Send Voice Recordings” feature.
The feature has only been available to U.S. customers with services set to English through the Echo Dot (4th Gen), Echo Show 10 and Echo Show 15 devices, according to Amazon.
The feature has also only applied to Alexa voice requests. Echo devices have previously processed sounds to the cloud if the selected “wake word,” typically the saying “Alexa,” alerts the device to listen.
If users have the setting enabled by March 28, they will automatically have the updated “Don’t Save Recordings” setting that prevents access to voice ID.
The voice ID feature allows Alexa to learn a user’s voice. However, if a user wants to continue using voice ID while having the “Don’t Save Recordings” setting on, they can have their recordings delete every couple of months, Amazon confirmed.
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Update change causes some angry responses
Some took to social media to voice their concerns over the privacy change, with some Reddit users arguing that the company is changing the terms of the agreement after the sale of the Echo device.
“I don’t understand how anyone could buy and support this product? I assume it has been doing this since day one,” one Reddit user wrote. Another wrote that they are “so glad I jumped ship away from Echo half a decade ago.”
On Facebook user, John Coate, wrote that the end of the feature is meant to “help their AI development, which seems to really be about keeping their stock price up. At your expense.”
“You may want to get rid of your Amazon Echo. Apparently, you can’t opt out of this,” one X user wrote.
What else does Amazon process to cloud?
Amazon currently processes any sounds heard from an Echo device if the “wake word” is heard or if Alexa is activated by a button press.
However it does not process what’s called visual ID to the cloud. Visual ID is when a person is seen on a device’s camera and the technology attempts to match their identity with another enrolled user, according to Amazon.
The company offers a Frequently Asked Questions webpage for common questions regarding Alexa.
This story has been updated to resolve an inaccuracy.
