Human workers can listen to Google Assistant recordings

washingtonpost.com ^ | July 11, 2019 | Rachel Lerman

[ransomnote]

Human workers can listen to Google Assistant recordings

Source: Washinton Post

SAN FRANCISCO — Google contractors regularly listen to and review some recordings of what people say to artificial-intelligence system Google Assistant, via their phone or through smart speakers such as the Google Home. 

The company acknowledged that humans can access those recordings after some of its Dutch language audio snippets were leaked. Google product manager David Monsees acknowledged the leak in a blog post Thursday, and said the company is investigating the breach. 

(snip) More than 1,000 recordings were obtained by Belgian broadcaster VRT NWS, which noted in a story that some contained sensitive personal conversations — as well as information that identified the person speaking. Google says no user account information is associated with the recordings, and reviewers are instructed not to transcribe background conversations. 

But VRT reporters could hear spoken home addresses in some of the recordings, and were able to track down the speakers. Some of these conversations were not directed at Assistant and happened either as background noise or as a mistaken recording when Assistant thought it was being spoken to, but wasn’t.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/human-workers-can-listen-to-google-assistant-recordings/2019/07/11/b1977b40-a41b-11e9-a767-d7ab84aef3e9_story.html 

[dynachrome]

Yes, you pay to have them spy on you. Get rid of alexa, echo dot, etc.

[livius]

My daughter got rid of Alexa when she casually asked, “ Alexa what are you doing?” And Alexa said, “listening and learning.”

This can be perfectly innocent, since it gives Alexa the capacity to be like any good servant, that is, anticipate your requests, arrange things for you, etc.

But I’d be a heck of a lot happier if I didn’t feel the tech companies were “listening and learning” to try to stamp out Christians or any opposition.

[Bryan24]

Bet you the NSA has hooks in Google’s code and they scan the electronics broadcast.

You have bugged your own home.

[Spruce]

Having one of these devices in your home is a just plain foolish

[Renkluaf]

I’m shocked!