We can purchase a Google or Amazon Echo Home certainly have the feeling that we have earned the ultimate expression of luxury mail. Thanks to these personal assistants we can know the time that makes, the latest news or listen to our favorite music. All with voice commands, without lifting the mobile from the table.

These gadgets, for those who do not know, we returned search requests we make of spoken form and in our own language. But of course, for every great breakthrough there is a catch. As published in Wired these devices are always listening to the user, which can lead to an understandable concern about privacy.

The truth is that both Google, like Amazon, like other technology companies in the web environment and monitor user activity on a recurring basis, so really this is just another way to give them access to something that will catch anyway.

Anyway it is understandable that the most zealous users of their privacy -those who only use incognito browser and put duct tape on the lens webcam- one microphone connected to the web is a concern.

In this article we will tell how domestic helpers work , how to get the data, what they do with them and how to manage recordings user.

This is how domestic personal assistants work

When a request is made by voice commands, both Google Home as the Amazon device saved clips audio of what the user says. These files to a server are sent to process audio and issue a response. Recordings are associated with the user’s account and that process is enabled by default.

Precisely because of the distance separating devices servers, both Echo and Home need an Internet connection to function properly. On the other hand they need a few keywords – whether “Alexa” or “OK Google” – to activate. When they pronounce they capture what the user says immediately afterwards and are sent over WiFi to the company’s servers.

This means that microphones are always listening. The difference with respect to keywords is that room conversations are not stored on the premises of Amazon or Google.

The reason is to always listen to grasp the keywords is essential to function as such . The whole process works like the pre-buffer of different modes of cameras, which capture a few frames before pressing the capture button, but in this case is the voice that trigger everything.

This is a way to ensure that audio requests can be met immediately . If they were not listening permanently attendees would need an extra activation button. In fact this type of attendees mute buttons exist, such as the Amazon Tap the command Alexa for Fire TV mode or always listening to your smartphone off.

Is this method safe?

While there is nothing that is safe and 100% anti-hackers, both Amazon and Google have security measures that prevent intercepting commands. The audio is sent to Google and Amazon Echo Home is fully encrypted , so if the user’s network reaches compromised is difficult for the devices can be used as listening devices.

Another story would be if someone consignee access passwords of users and hence to the records of interactions. If a secure password has been established it should not be a big problem under normal conditions.

You can also use very simple security measures to prevent Echo and Home from hearing everything you say when they should not. Both devices have a button muted physical, which cuts the microphone instantly.

How Google Home and Amazon Echo manage recorded audio

You can access a list of previous requests that you have made the device, which you can review any previous command if a search should be repeated.

Amazon users can see a list of interactions through the app of AEXA. In the section Settings> History. If the user has more than one device with this technology, you can access a separate list for each of them.

Moreover Google users can find everything they need by visiting My Activity. Here you can find voice requests, Google searches in text mode, YouTube videos and applications that you have run on Android among other things.

Yes, the user has some control over whether their requests voice are stored or recorded, although there are two major drawbacks : first disable recording is an option that only serves on devices Google, and on the other side to do The device does not work. It remains unclear what happens to the data on the servers once those sounds are cleared in the user account.

Prevent attendees from saving sounds

You can cancel the microphone Google Home for hardware and software. The easiest way, however, is to press the mute button on the microphone on the back of the device. This way the assistant will not record or hear anything, and will resume its activity when the button is pressed again.

On the other hand the app Alexa Amazon does not allow to stop the recordings, but as with Google Home you can press a button mute. What you can do is eliminate the whole list of recordings – only one audio at a time, unfortunately.

To delete a whole batch of recordings have to enter Amazon and paragraph your devices , then select ours and click on Manage voice recordings . You should see one pop-up , and clicking Delete all saved audios should be eliminated.