Alexa Recordings Will Go to Amazon: What it Means
Alexa devices will send all recordings of user voice commands to Amazon from March 28, 2025. The company is removing (and overriding) a user setting that stopped this happening.
The change affects devices such as the voice controlled Amazon Echo. Until now, these devices had the capacity to recognize and understand what a user was saying using only local processing. That allowed the devices to have an optional setting to stop the recordings being sent outside of their home.
Amazon says the change is a byproduct of what it's calling an improvement. Alexa is being replaced by Alexa+, a system that uses artificial intelligence to offer more functionality, as well as recognizing individual users and tailoring responses to their personal profiles. (Source: arstechnica.com)
AI Can't Work Locally
The problem is that the AI system behind it is too large to run directly on the device and instead the voice recording must be processed remotely.
In an email to users, Amazon said:
"As we continue to expand Alexa's capabilities with generative AI features that rely on the processing power of Amazon's secure cloud, we have decided to no longer support this feature. If you do not take action, your Alexa Settings will automatically be updated to 'Don't save recordings.' This means that, starting on March 28, your voice recording will be sent to and processed in the cloud, and they will be deleted after Alexa processes your requests. Any previously saved voice recordings will also be deleted." (Source: gizmodo.com)
What This Means for You
Even though Amazon says the recordings will be deleted after processing, the change still means your voice is being sent to Amazon's servers every time you speak to Alexa (and possibly even when you aren't speaking directly to it).
Here are some of the key implications:
- You lose the ability to opt out: There is no more option to stop recordings from being sent to Amazon. The only way to stop this is to stop using the device entirely.
- Voice data leaves your home: All audio spoken to Alexa will now go directly to the cloud, where it is processed remotely.
- Privacy becomes a trade-off: The convenience of Alexa+ means you have to accept constant data transmission
- even if you do not want to.
- Children and shared households are affected: Voice data from every user in the household is collected, including minors, which raises more serious privacy concerns.
Surveillance by Default?
While Amazon claims the change is necessary to offer better features through generative AI, critics argue that this is just another step toward normalizing surveillance in the home. Smart devices are becoming smarter - but that intelligence is coming at the cost of user privacy.
Experts have long warned about the dangers of voice-enabled devices. Every spoken command can reveal patterns in your behavior, location, routines, or even emotional state. Once this data is collected, it could potentially be used to train AI models, improve ad targeting, or even be accessed in legal investigations.
There are also concerns about how securely Amazon stores this data, even if they promise it is deleted. Breaches, leaks, or misuse by employees are not just theoretical - Amazon has already paid penalties for exactly that in the past.
In short, your Alexa is no longer just a helper - it could be a live microphone feeding data to a corporate AI system in order to serve up customized ads.
Regulators Are Watching
Amazon's decision may attract renewed attention from lawmakers and privacy regulators. In the past, the company faced legal action under the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) after employees listened to recordings of minors. That resulted in a $30 million settlement.
With Alexa+ forcing voice data into the cloud, regulators could argue this change limits consumer control and creates new privacy risks. It also raises questions about compliance with international privacy laws like the GDPR in Europe or Canada's PIPEDA.
Lawmakers in the United States are already debating stronger privacy protections for smart devices. The shift to Alexa+ might increase pressure to pass comprehensive federal data privacy legislation - something that has stalled in Congress for years.
What's Your Opinion?
Do you use an Alexa device? Have you looked into the privacy settings? Would this change deter you from continuing to use it?
My name is Dennis Faas and I am a senior systems administrator and IT technical analyst specializing in cyber crimes (sextortion / blackmail / tech support scams) with over 30 years experience; I also run this website! If you need technical assistance , I can help. Click here to email me now; optionally, you can review my resume here. You can also read how I can fix your computer over the Internet (also includes user reviews).
We are BBB Accredited
We are BBB accredited (A+ rating), celebrating 21 years of excellence! Click to view our rating on the BBB.
Comments
Makes no difference, really
I have an Amazon Echo Dot in the kitchen, which we use to listen to local and global news during breakfast and dinner. I also use it for simple questions, but the context is often way off, or I get a completely different answer to a question I didn't ask, or it will say "Hmm, I don't know that." It honestly feels like a very outdated version of AI compared to today's standards with ChatGPT. Also I can't tell Echo to change one of its internal settings - I have to go into the app to do it (such as adding a specific radio station to the news mix). I would much rather have AI do it for me.
I think that most people who purchased an Amazon Echo knew the potential privacy risks associated with using such a device (i.e. eavesdropping), but that's just how it works.
That said, I think the biggest issue here is if Amazon Echo can be used in court cases, for example. That would mean Echo is listening all the time and retaining the data. That would be a pretty big deal breaker because it would definitely put the fear factor into using one of these devices.
What Dennis says is spot on
What Dennis says is spot on in every way. Court use (or no) will be huge.
One thing you can do is tap the Mic Mute
And leave it muted TILL you want to use it (I do that on my FIRE TV cube3). Conversely I do not mute my echo upstairs much or my Echo Show in kitchen (I have and old echo dot2 in basement so I can yell "Alexa, basement lights on (or off)". I never mute it, and this change will not effect that. The kid use is an interesting legal question.
First thing that I do is turn it off
Since devices existed that listen to you, the first thing that I do is turn it off. I have done this since the iPhone came with siri. If I want to ask a question, I type it. With many countries punishing you for what you say, the feature becomes more scary.
no option to tpye on Echo (no keyboard)
Also voice commands can be useful, if my hands are filled and I am about to go in basement I can say "Alexa, basement lights on" and they turn on). Do you have any idea how involved that would be to do using Alexa app on smartphone? Totally impractical, I would put a switch on wall I could bump with my elbow... LOL I have about 10 48" shop lights all on smart switches, it would be a wiring NIGHTMARE and huge expense to put them all on a single switch (or even Mutiple switches. My house was not wired at all when built (it predates electrification) but it got GAS light, and Lincoln was president (1860) LOL