Researchers Find Amazon Uses Alexa Voice Data To Target You With Ads (theverge.com) 36
A report released last week contends that Amazon uses voice data from its Echo devices to serve targeted ads on its own platforms and the web. The Verge reports: he report, produced by researchers affiliated with the University of Washington, UC Davis, UC Irvine, and Northeastern University, said the ways Amazon does this is inconsistent with its privacy policies. Titled, "Your Echos are Heard: Tracking, Profiling, and Ad Targeting in the Amazon Smart Speaker Ecosystem," the report concludes that Amazon and third parties (including advertising and tracking services) collect data from your interactions with Alexa through Echo smart speakers and share it with as many as 41 advertising partners. That data is then used to "infer user interests" and "serve targeted ads on-platform (Echo devices) as well as off-platform (web)." It also concludes that this type of data is in hot demand, leading to "30X higher ad bids from advertisers."
Amazon confirmed to The Verge that it does use voice data from Alexa interactions to inform relevant ads shown on Amazon or other sites where Amazon places ads. "Similar to what you'd experience if you made a purchase on Amazon.com or requested a song through Amazon Music, if you ask Alexa to order paper towels or to play a song on Amazon Music, the record of that purchase or song play may inform relevant ads shown on Amazon or other sites where Amazon places ads." Amazon spokesperson Lauren Raemhild said in an email.
The company also confirmed there are targeted ads on its smart speakers. "Customers may receive interest-based ads when they use ad-supported premium content -- like music, radio or news streams," said Raemhild, pointing out that this is the same experience if they engaged with that content on other channels. She went on to say that Amazon does not share voice recordings with developers. "Developers get the information necessary to fulfill your requests within their skills, such as answers when you play a trivia skill, or the name of the song you want to play," she said. "We do not share our customers' personal information to third-party skills without the customer's consent." Amazon allows Alexa users to opt out of ad targeting as well (see sidebar). "Many of the conclusions in this research are based on inaccurate inferences or speculation by the authors, and do not accurately reflect how Alexa works," added Raemhild. "We are not in the business of selling our customers' personal information and we do not share Alexa requests with advertising networks."
Amazon confirmed to The Verge that it does use voice data from Alexa interactions to inform relevant ads shown on Amazon or other sites where Amazon places ads. "Similar to what you'd experience if you made a purchase on Amazon.com or requested a song through Amazon Music, if you ask Alexa to order paper towels or to play a song on Amazon Music, the record of that purchase or song play may inform relevant ads shown on Amazon or other sites where Amazon places ads." Amazon spokesperson Lauren Raemhild said in an email.
The company also confirmed there are targeted ads on its smart speakers. "Customers may receive interest-based ads when they use ad-supported premium content -- like music, radio or news streams," said Raemhild, pointing out that this is the same experience if they engaged with that content on other channels. She went on to say that Amazon does not share voice recordings with developers. "Developers get the information necessary to fulfill your requests within their skills, such as answers when you play a trivia skill, or the name of the song you want to play," she said. "We do not share our customers' personal information to third-party skills without the customer's consent." Amazon allows Alexa users to opt out of ad targeting as well (see sidebar). "Many of the conclusions in this research are based on inaccurate inferences or speculation by the authors, and do not accurately reflect how Alexa works," added Raemhild. "We are not in the business of selling our customers' personal information and we do not share Alexa requests with advertising networks."
Really? (Score:1)
Is that why people keep trying to sell me watches? (Score:2)
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Or why some people keep seeing ads for throw-pillows like [teepublic.com] this [redbubble.com]? :-)
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I wonder what user interests were inferred from that.
Likely none. Alexa recognizes the voices of everyone in the household. So if you were a visitor, your voice would not be recognized, and no interests would be inferred.
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Alexa recognizes the voices of everyone in the household.
I don't buy this. I don't think it has any model of multiple people in the home. It apparently treats our commands as a stream of text.
My soft-spoken adult daughter has a very hard time making herself understood by our Echo Dot.
After she tries two or three times, I'll sometimes repeat her command so it happens.
Our device doesn't exhibit anywhere near the level of sophistication you imply.
Re:I have a friend who has an Echo. (Score:5, Informative)
I don't buy this. I don't think it has any model of multiple people in the home.
If I say "Alexa, news brief", Alexa responds with "Here is Bill's news brief. ...."
If my spouse or daughter says the same exact phrase, they are also addressed by name and given a different news report based on their preferences and interests.
So Alexa recognizes us as individuals and responds differently based on our identity.
My soft-spoken adult daughter has a very hard time making herself understood by our Echo Dot.
She should ask Alexa to learn her voice. Alexa will give her some prompts to repeat, and learn from them to recognize her more accurately.
Which is exactly why (Score:4, Informative)
I don't ever use voice services. Way to invasive. You think Google/Amazon is going to let voice data go by unrecorded and unused? Think again. It's too tempting.
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That's why the service is free. It says right in the terms of use that your data will be used to deliver a customized experience. What does it matter if you verbally request an inquire, versus typing it out on google? They still get the same info.
You think a voice assisted device would be able to hook into your electronics for a decade+, but still cost only $20? I can't even buy 1 meal at a restaurant for that price.
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And that makes it all okay?
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If you agree to the service and terms, then by definition, yes. That's makes it okay. It's good enough to make an agreement.
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And I'm guessing that you have the time to read all terms and conditions for all services you use eh?
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Practically everyone has the time. People just don't want to.
Most people already suspect that their phones and virtual assistants are listening to them, and yet they continue to use them even under that suspicion. It's because they don't care, at least not enough to stop using those free services.
How is this worthy of being news? (Score:1)
It took researches to figure this out? Everyone I know with an Alexa has seen the correlation. It's beyond obvious, not worthy of "research" nor of a news story.
Surprised Pikachu face (Score:5, Funny)
How could this happen? It's unimaginable a company whose sole goal is to sell you products would do this.
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Seriously, is there anyone out there who really did not think your voice searches would be used for targeting? Just like your search engine searches are used the same way?
Really? Anyone that thought that?
why don't people like this? (Score:1, Flamebait)
Ads pay for content that would otherwise be paywalled. If I have to pay my way be watching an ad, I'd rather it be something I'm actually interested in. Occasionally I even see an ad for a new product in an area of my interest that I wouldn't otherwise know about. It's a bit like the waiter at the restaurant offering you some entree suggestions that go with the meal you are ordering, compared with them just spinning the wheel and blindly suggesting something from anywhere on the menu?
And I think if anyon
Re:why don't people like this? (Score:4, Interesting)
If I have to pay my way be watching an ad, I'd rather it be something I'm actually interested in.
If only their algorithms were capable of doing that. Instead, they recommend things I've already bought (that are not items one would buy repeatedly) or things completely unrelated to anything I've ever bought.
Best I can tell, their algorithms actually make ads less relevant to me.
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Yep that does happen sometimes. I watched some stand-up comedian recently go into a rant about buying a replacement toilet seat, and then getting pestered to buy some more toilet seats. Hilarious!
But most of the time the targeted ads are logical for me. I do have to be a little cautious about what ads I click on or what random "bizarre new product!" links I click on. I've had a few very weird things get lodged in my ad choices for a few weeks as a result
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What best is when you post a link in the context of "Never ever use this worthless POS ..." and then you see ads everywhere that those POS's paid money targeting you for.
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This is demonstrably true - yet why does it happen? Why, even in the most primitive of "targeted" advertising worlds, do I see ads for toasters just after I've bought... a toaster?
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Ads pay for content that would otherwise be paywalled. If I have to pay my way be watching an ad, I'd rather it be something I'm actually interested in.
My interests are none of your business.
Spying is creepy.
Data collected is likely to be used against me either to reduce my buying power or to pass judgment upon or exploit me. Perhaps you find out I'm a gambler, obsessed with my own health, like to drink, have some disease or determine that I'm a clueless luser obsessed with online security. Now "advertisers" get to leverage that knowledge to "target" me so they can fuck and exploit me.
And I think if anyone feels like doing a survey and asking people, "if you had to watch an ad, would you prefer it to be something that related to something you are interested in or something you're NOT interested in" I think I know about how that would go.
It's not enough to target ads specific to the audience of the content
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Fine! then everything goes behind a paywall.
Maybe it would be better if more things offered you a choice, rather than "watch ads or don't get our content", as is the case with almost everything.
My life's just not that interesting. Now you know I am shopping for socks? I'm happy for you! Sure, show me some ads for socks rather than tampons. I'm totally ok with that, and I'm getting FREE STUFF in exchange too.
And I struggle to understand why others have a such a pro
Re:why don't people like this? (Score:4, Interesting)
If I have to pay my way be watching an ad, I'd rather it be something I'm actually interested in.
Not me. If I see an ad for tampons or dog food (I'm a man and I don't own a dog) then I know my efforts towards digital sanitation are working.
Besides, there have always been ways to serve relevant ads without eavesdropping on conversations. Tampon ads are placed during TV shows with high viewership from females of the right gender, technical gadgets are advertised on Slashdot, sugary breakfast cereals and toys are advertised during childrens' cartoons etc.
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The suggested adds are not provided to help you learn or decide what you need or want. They are there to persuade and direct you into liking what amazon wants you to like and buy. A better product, that does not provide amazon with a kick back, will not show up as a suggestion.
My cross-account and cross-floor instance of this (Score:5, Interesting)
I bet they do way more than that. One time I went to my upstairs neighbour who has an Echo and talked to her about a new night-time bed lamp that she had bought a few days before. When I went back to my own flat, which was only about half an hour later, the same f...ing lamp was suggested to me when I went on my Amazon - right there in the middle of the top row of suggestions, without entering any search phrases first. So basically, we had a situation where her Echo overheard the conversation and somehow it managed to link the facts that we're neighbours, and suggest it back to me, and I do not use any voice devices in my own home. In fact, I took extra care to remove Google voice from my phone and disable microphones in all my devices. I'm guessing that Echo may have figured it out by the proximity of my wifi to my neighbour's, and that it was aware the essid/bssid of my wifi corresponds to my Amazon account.
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I've installed a custom ROM without any Google services.
well.... (Score:1)
Asking for a friend (Score:1)
Why is this shit news? (Score:3)
A system which exists to monetize data monetizes data. Anyone stupid enough to be surprised is a genuine mental defective.
Liar liar pants on fire (Score:2)
I guess I should stop ... (Score:3)
"Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
"My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends...."