In case you missed it, Amazon recently shut down a privacy feature across compatible Echo smart speakers. Previously, owners of specific Echo devices in the US could use Alexa-enabled voice commands without sending any audio off-device. That has since changed, as Amazon pushes further into generative AI features.
In an email to affected customers, Amazon explained that the “Do Not Send Voice Recordings” setting would stop working on 28 March 2025. For users who enabled the setting on Echo Dot (4th Gen), Echo Show 10, and Echo Show 15 devices, it processed Alexa voice requests locally, keeping the data on-device.
However, Amazon never made the setting available in Australia. Amazon also told USA Today that less than 0.03% of Echo owners used the setting. Several factors could contribute to the low adoption rate, in addition to the limited regional availability, such as its opt-in nature.
In place of the “Do Not Send Voice Recordings”, affected users now have the “Don’t save recordings” setting as listed on Amazon’s support page. The key difference is that Alexa voice recordings get sent and processed online before being deleted.
With this setting enabled, Alexa’s voice ID feature, which recognises who’s speaking, doesn’t work. To use the feature, users have to let Amazon save voice recordings, which can be customised to different lengths of time. Adjustable via the device’s settings, recordings can be kept indefinitely, for 18 months or three months, or not at all.
The move has angered plenty of users, including subscribers to r/privacy on Reddit. There’s also speculation that it’s part of Amazon’s strategy to make money from its generative AI features.
In response to questions from GadgetGuy, Amazon pointed to its Alexa privacy hub and reiterated the company’s approach to privacy.
“The Alexa experience is designed to protect our customers’ privacy and keep their data secure, and that’s not changing,” said an Amazon spokesperson. “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.”
“We’ll continue learning from customer feedback, and building privacy features on their behalf.”
The post Amazon draws ire for disabling Echo voice privacy feature appeared first on GadgetGuy.
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