On March 28th, Amazon will remove the option for some Echo users to prevent their stored voice recordings from being sent to Amazon’s cloud storage.
This change comes with the rollout of Alexa+, Amazon’s generative AI version of its personal assistant. The previous setting, known as “Do Not Send Voice Recordings,” allowed users to have an extra layer of privacy by withholding their saved voice commands.
According to Ars Technica, Amazon informed customers via email that it decided to discontinue the feature to expand Alexa’s capabilities with generative AI features that rely on the processing power of Amazon’s secure cloud.
Amazon suggests that customers who previously used the “Do Not Send” feature can instead use the “Don’t save recordings” option within the Alexa settings for enhanced privacy.
One Reddit user expressed their disappointment, writing, “I have zero interest in the enhanced Alexa, not offering the chance to opt out of this change even though I don’t intend to use the service shows the lack of consideration on the part [of] this company for my privacy, which apparently was somewhat of an illusion all along.”
In an email to Yahoo News, an Amazon representative said that the “Do Not Send Voice Recordings” feature was only used by less than 0.03% of customers.
“The Alexa experience is designed to protect our customers’ privacy and keep their data secure, and that’s not changing. 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,” the spokesperson stated.
One of the features Amazon is highlighting for Alexa+ is Alexa Voice ID. This feature enables devices to recognize who is speaking commands. However, in order to use Alexa Voice ID, users must disable the “Don’t save recordings” option.
User data is a valuable asset for tech companies, and its storage has led to numerous legal battles over the past decade. In 2023, Amazon agreed to pay $25 million to settle federal charges over violating a children’s online privacy law by retaining data, including voice recordings and locations of minors, for years.
Concerns have arisen regarding the potential loss of privacy options. One Reddit commenter wrote, “Imagine the next time there is a data breach and someone has access to all your voice recordings, and the broad range of AI scammers the hackers could sell that data to…It’ll make those fake ‘Mom and Dad, I’ve been arrested and I need money sent for bail’ scams using a person’s real voice look like child’s play.”
In February, Amazon announced the cost for subscribing to Alexa+ would be $19.99 per month, but it would be free for Prime members.
