|
|
Post by Daniel on Mar 8, 2018 9:28:06 GMT -5
'There's a good chance I get murdered tonight': Terrified Amazon Echo users reveal Alexa has been emitting 'bone chilling' laughs at random and is ignoring their commands
By Annie Palmer For Dailymail.com
6 March 2018
There are plenty of stories of artificial intelligence gone wrong.
But recent reports from owners of Amazon Alexa devices are being called 'bone chillingly creepy.'
Some users say their Alexa-enabled gadgets start laughing totally unprompted.
One user reportedly tried to turn the lights off in their home but Alexa repeatedly turned the lights back on, eventually uttering an 'evil laugh,' according to BuzzFeed.
Another Echo Dot owner said they told Alexa to turn off their alarm in the morning and she responded by letting out a 'witch-like' laugh.
Alexa is programmed in many voice-activated devices with a preset laugh, which can be prompted by asking: 'Alexa, how do you laugh?'
But so far, it's unclear why Alexa is laughing even when users don't ask her to.
Amazon has yet to respond to inquiries requesting more information about the error, BuzzFeed said.
more
www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-5470379/Amazons-Alexa-voice-assistant-wont-stop-randomly-laughing.html
|
|
fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,404 
|
Post by fearnot on Mar 12, 2018 10:34:43 GMT -5
When I got my reading tablet I immediately called Amazon to find out how to disable alexa.
I am not totally convinced that it still is not listening in somewhere but it does not bug me with weird noises, laughs, sales pitches etc.
I am not a fan of AI's
I do not trust the technology to go way wrong ( if it has not already).
Because as pointed out it already has many times in little ways.....no I am not a fan.
I have an dinosaur cell phone and am very happy with it.....Leonard ( and all the rest of my family) have smart phones.....
Leonard's phone is always doing weird things.
For example, just one thing.....he will be talking to me....his phone can be sitting in the other room even.....
He may say to me: Yeah, I would like to get ------------ ( fill in the blank)
let's say a new camera or belt or watch or knife whatever
In just a few minutes on his phone and on his computer he will have a whole mess of ads for just that item!!!
Creepy and scary!!
Not so with my old old cell which is not a smart phone.
|
|
|
|
Post by Daniel on Mar 13, 2018 7:17:39 GMT -5
When I got my reading tablet I immediately called Amazon to find out how to disable alexa.
I am not totally convinced that it still is not listening in somewhere but it does not bug me with weird noises, laughs, sales pitches etc.
I am not a fan of AI's
I do not trust the technology to go way wrong ( if it has not already).
Because as pointed out it already has many times in little ways.....no I am not a fan.
I have an dinosaur cell phone and am very happy with it.....Leonard ( and all the rest of my family) have smart phones.....
Leonard's phone is always doing weird things.
For example, just one thing.....he will be talking to me....his phone can be sitting in the other room even.....
He may say to me: Yeah, I would like to get ------------ ( fill in the blank)
let's say a new camera or belt or watch or knife whatever
In just a few minutes on his phone and on his computer he will have a whole mess of ads for just that item!!!
Creepy and scary!!
Not so with my old old cell which is not a smart phone. |
|
fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,404
|
Post by fearnot on Mar 13, 2018 14:40:16 GMT -5
Seriously?????
"I have received much criticism from friends who preach that 'christians should be embracing technology' as if it's another gospel".
What is their reasoning?
And what do they think of the new 'god' and religion about to be born by an AI that will be billion times smarter than the smartest human?
Do they not see the creepy resemblance to Revelation 13:15
"The second beast was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed".
And are they not aware that in the garden of Eden, the very thing satan used to tempt Eve with was "KNOWLEDGE".....of good ( to be sure) so they would become like 'gods'.....
but the enemy of their souls, kind of, didn't really, get into the 'evil' aspect....
it was 'good......and....hummmmm oh yes EVIL
And has that not been true of all human tech advancement.....cars are really helpful, how would we get along without them now?
But.....
oh yes, there are a LOT of deaths too
And the splitting of the atom......a type of energy....
but also the atomic bomb can kill
and on it goes.....
The point is, yes tech is helpful, but we have to be very very very careful with AI and I don't think that is going to happen....people still focus only on the 'good' part of 'knowledge' and not so much on the evil
and
getting to be very very very much less on the real knowledge.....God's Word the Bible
Just like people are OK with chips for buying and selling now ( no it's not yet the 'mark' because they have to truly know they are worshipping the anti-Christ ( oh yeah I just realized this new 'god' AI would also be another one 'in place of......that's what Anti-christ also means....not just against Jesus, but in place of.....a new religion.
....the AI 'might' be the image the anti-Christ sets up in his kingdom...maybe not.....but I sure am not pro AI much
|
|
|
|
Post by Daniel on Mar 13, 2018 18:56:17 GMT -5
What is their reasoning?
And what do they think of the new 'god' and religion about to be born by an AI that will be billion times smarter than the smartest human?
Do they not see the creepy resemblance to Revelation 13:15
|
|
fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,404
|
Post by fearnot on Mar 13, 2018 22:12:31 GMT -5
Well it sounds more like unbelievers would say that.....
I am not saying they are not Christians, but it makes me wonder how often they pick up there Bible, because, otherwise it seems like they might at least have some slight reservations.
Oh well, if Jesus delays a little bit longer, they might begin....to get a clearer picture,
I for one, hopes he does not delay much longer...
still, I know it for those unbelievers yet to come to Him, so I must not be so self-centered...sigh!
|
|
|
|
Post by Daniel on Apr 25, 2018 8:30:12 GMT -5
Amazon Has a Top-Secret Plan to Build Home Robots
By Mark Gurman and Brad Stone
April 23, 2018
Ten years ago, Amazon introduced the Kindle and established the appeal of reading on a digital device. Four years ago, Jeff Bezos and company rolled out the Echo, prompting millions of people to start talking to a computer.
Now Amazon.com Inc. is working on another big bet: robots for the home.
The retail and cloud computing giant has embarked on an ambitious, top-secret plan to build a domestic robot, according to people familiar with the plans. Codenamed “Vesta,” after the Roman goddess of the hearth, home and family, the project is overseen by Gregg Zehr, who runs Amazon’s Lab126 hardware research and development division based in Sunnyvale, California. Lab126 is responsible for Amazon devices such as the Echo speakers, Fire TV set-top-boxes, Fire tablets and the ill-fated Fire Phone.
The Vesta project originated a few years ago, but this year Amazon began to aggressively ramp up hiring. There are dozens of listings on the Lab 126 Jobs page for openings like “Software Engineer, Robotics” and “Principle Sensors Engineer.” People briefed on the plan say the company hopes to begin seeding the robots in employees’ homes by the end of this year, and potentially with consumers as early as 2019, though the timeline could change, and Amazon hardware projects are sometimes killed during gestation.
An Amazon spokesperson said the company doesn’t comment on “rumors and speculation.”
more
www.bloomberg.com/technology
|
|
|
|
Post by Daniel on May 28, 2018 6:56:13 GMT -5
Family's Private Conversation Leaked by Their Amazon Alexa
By Phil Baker May 24, 2018
A Portland’s family's Amazon Alexa recently recorded a private conversation and sent the audio to a random contact in Seattle.
According to Danielle, who only wanted to use her first name, an employee of her husband called to tell them he thought they were being hacked because he received audio files of their conversation. The employee explained that he was able to hear Danielle and her husband discussing hardwood floors. He sent them files of the recording and they were confirmed to be their actual conversation.
"I felt invaded," Danielle told her local radio station, KIRO 7. "A total privacy invasion. I’ll never be plugging that device in again because I can't trust it.'"
In a statement to the radio station, the company said, "Amazon takes privacy very seriously. We investigated what happened and determined this was an extremely rare occurrence. We are taking steps to avoid this from happening in the future."
Apparently, what occurred is that one of Amazon’s Echo devices had recorded a conversation and emailed recordings without the family's permission. The recipient was in their address book.
more
|
|
fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,404
|
Post by fearnot on May 28, 2018 12:42:25 GMT -5
I was thinking about your Christian friends thinking you are negative etc. and I wonder if they are thinking..Oh you need to trust the Lord and don't worry but I also think we have to pray about it, and also use our brains.
I mean even secular non believers have concerns about AI and run away technology.
Plus, we know that for those left behind, the antichrist is going to set up some sort of Idol that talks etc.
I do use my cell because right now I need to be in touch often with my daughter about her work schedule, watching grandchildren etc etc etc.
And I too feel to tied to my computer.....but I do love coming to fresh hope, watching MacArthur sermons, Wiersbe, Amir etc etc.
|
|
|
|
Post by Daniel on May 30, 2018 8:41:47 GMT -5
Yes, Alexa is spying on you, even if unintentionally
Jazz ShawPosted
May 29, 2018
Continuing with our ongoing investigation into What The Heck Are These Newfangled Machines Up To, an interesting story popped up last week involving the Amazon digital assistant known as Alexa. One family in Oregon ran into an unexpected and potentially embarrassing situation after discovering that Alexa was far more interested in what they were talking about than they’d originally imagined. Even more alarming was the fact that she was pretty proactive about it too. I doubt I’m the only one who has noticed that our smart devices wind up “listening” to us more often than advertised and that was the case with this couple. What really takes the story to the next level is the fact that Alexa was not only listening but recording the conversation. And then she mailed it to one of their contacts in Seattle. This is straight out of a SKYNET story. (Associated Press)
An “unlikely” string of events prompted Amazon’s Echo personal assistant device to record a Portland, Oregon, family’s private conversation and then send the recording to an acquaintance in Seattle, the company said Thursday.
...
In a statement Thursday, Amazon confirmed the woman’s private conversation had been inadvertently recorded and sent.
Of course, Amazon is blaming it on an “unlikely series of events.” Supposedly, the couple was having a discussion about some mundane, household topic and Alexa thought she heard them say her name, prompting the device to wake up and start listening. (And apparently recording.) Alexa then made another mistake, thinking that one of the homeowners had said something sounding like “send message.” The company claims that Alexa then said aloud, “To whom?” Not hearing her, the couple then supposedly said something which sounded to Alexa like a name on their contact list.
read full article
|
|
|
|
Post by Daniel on Feb 6, 2019 9:28:59 GMT -5
Ditch Amazon Echo, Alexa 'surveillance' devices to protect kids, experts say
By Brandon Showalter, CP Reporter January 25, 2019
WASHINGTON — The omnipresence of digital and smartphone technology has yielded youth whose relational skills are stunted, experts say, and it's time to ditch "surveillance" gadgets like Alexa and Amazon Echo.
Author and American Enterprise Institute scholar Naomi Schaefer Riley facilitated a panel discussion last Friday on how to respond to technology's impact on the mental health of children, which she explores in her book., Be the Parent, Please: Stop Banning Seesaws and Start Banning Snapchat.
Social technology and relationship apps like Tinder are designed to lure young people and keep them ensnared in cyberspace and keep them from interacting with other people. The panelists called for regulation of media companies and big tech, and for community efforts bringing awareness to parents.
"Don't buy an Echo or an Alexa or have any of those things in your home. That's just a surveillance device that earns money for big tech," said Christine Rosen, senior editor of The New Atlantis, in response to a question from The Christian Post about how parents might stay ahead of the curve given how quickly digital technology develops.
"Your children's voices are recorded on there, their behaviors. You'll forget it's on," she continued, explaining that it's not always clear whether those devices are off or on.
"You don't need a smart refrigerator to remind you to get milk. Just keep a list."
more
|
|
|
|
Post by Daniel on May 8, 2019 10:35:00 GMT -5
Alexa has been eavesdropping on you this whole time
Geoffrey A. Fowler, The Washington Post May 6, 2019
Would you let a stranger eavesdrop in your home and keep the recordings? For most people, the answer is, "Are you crazy?"
Yet that's essentially what Amazon has been doing to millions of us with its assistant Alexa in microphone-equipped Echo speakers. And it's hardly alone: Bugging our homes is Silicon Valley's next frontier.
Many smart-speaker owners don't realize it, but Amazon keeps a copy of everything Alexa records after it hears its name. Apple's Siri, and until recently Google's Assistant, by default also keep recordings to help train their artificial intelligences.
So come with me on an unwelcome walk down memory lane. I listened to four years of my Alexa archive and found thousands of fragments of my life: spaghetti-timer requests, joking houseguests and random snippets of "Downton Abbey." There were even sensitive conversations that somehow triggered Alexa's "wake word" to start recording, including my family discussing medication and a friend conducting a business deal.
You can listen to your own Alexa archive here. Let me know what you unearth.
more
|
|
|
|
Post by sw7777 on May 8, 2019 21:49:47 GMT -5
I have worked in IT for the last 30 years.
You are completely sane and sensible being concerned.
I have banned such devices from my home for these exact reasons.
The tech companies - thier money is made from selling *your* data.
I would have my old dinosaur cell phone back in a heartbeat, but we had 2G cell network shutdown to make it easiet to for everyone to...er....upgrade our user experience...
|
|
!!
