So what your saying is you believe everything they tell you?
Not necessarily, but I do believe the number of different tech blogs that took the things apart and tested them while they monitored all signals in and out.
They confirm that no data is coming out of the unit when it’s just sitting there waiting for you to say ‘Alexa’. At that point you can see your query data being sent to Amazon. Then you can see the answer coming back in.
After that, no more data. Your query is recorded but can be deleted via the Alexa app.
You can easily check this for yourself with a Wi-Fi monitor.
If the Alexa is "listening" for the command, "Alexa", can it not be transmitting ALL data to the cloud? Your Alexa is just another data collection device to feed info to Google, Amazon, or whoever the maker might be. I have NO doubt that the owner of the data is sifting your data to sell to someone else, also. Your Alexa is waiting for the command phrase to perform, but that has nothing to do with it listening to 100% of everything that is said.
Ask yourself if it is connected to the internet all the time? Ask yourself if you believe if it is listening to every word that is said? Ask yourself if Google or Amazon uses data to generate money? What would you think if you were discussing a cruise with your spouse and the next thing you know you are covered with cruise adds on your phone and laptop? Have you ever looked at something on Amazon or Ebay and the next time you go to Drudge, there is that item with a button to go to on Amazon or Ebay?
You have to look a little deeper than just saying the Alexa command and the device activating. You cannot deny it is listening to everything that is said. Why else would cops insists they get access to Alexa data about a murder?
You have to ask yourself, would Bezos place a microphone in your home and not listen to it? Does he put cookies on your device to phone home right now? I've been told I have a tin foil hat several times, but I can tell you that later, it comes out I was right. I worked for SBC for 30 years and I knew years before it came out that the government was saving meta data on callers. I put the circuits in to make the fiber ring go to the government so they could break in to any conversation they wanted. It was discussed years ago that test centers were going to be moved to Mexico to fire us to save money. That was decided against because they could control our phone traffic from their government administrations. The next thing you know the same type circuits were routed to Virginia. Why would a Texas company be sending their data to Virginia? A few years later, Snowden happened. Data is the most valuable commodity today for commerce and governments. Amazon is no different. I would put it at about 90% that Amazon is storing all sounds the Alexa hears in the cloud. They would be foolish not to. For goodness sake, you car stores where you go, how fast you go, and saves it for people other than you to look at. "Smart" TV's, Toasters, Refrigerators, washers and dryers, will all soon be hooked to the internet. You are giving up everything for just a small convenience. Is it really worth it to have a refrigerator that will make a grocery list for you and listen to everything you say. How about getting health care from the government and the ice box tells on you that you ate ice cream last night? I look for any day now your cashier at Walmart to refuse to sell you ice cream because ObamaCare is paying for your Metformin. Their registers are connected to a network to order new inventory for Walmart, but could easily be monitored by the government or someone Walmart was being paid to allow to access. Data is a resource to be bought and sold.