How to hear (and delete) every conversation your Google Home has recorded

The Verge ^ | Jul 20, 2018, 1:43pm EDT | Stefan Etienne

[BenLurkin]

With an increasing number of households buying into virtual assistants like Google Home and Amazon Alexa, it’s important to keep in mind that these devices are designed to listen. This includes recording and learning the tone of your voice and improving voice recognition and features for the virtual assistant. It’s supposed to be a feature and not a bug, but it’s landed Amazon’s Echo speakers in hot water after they spontaneously erupted in laughter.

Amazon claimed the affected Echo speakers were triggered by false positive commands. If you’re an Alexa user, it’s possible to delete all of your recorded queries. On the flip side, Google Home hasn’t yet had a similar crisis — at least not to public knowledge — but before it does, it’s good to know how to play back, delete, and organize the queries you’ve made.

To get started, log in to your Google account via a web browser. Click your profile picture in the top right, click on “Google Account,” and afterward you’ll be taken to an overview page. Look for the “Personal info & privacy” column centered in the overview page, then click on “Manage your Google activity.” Once you’re there, scroll down until you reach the “Review activity” section — this is what you’re looking for — and click on the “Go to my activity” link.

If you’re using your phone, the process is similar, but the appearance of the options change a little. To get there, log in to your Google account in the browser and tap the following: your profile picture > Manage Accounts > Google Activity Controls > Manage Activity. You’ll be greeted by a full list of all queries that can be sorted and deleted.

[TheZMan]

Or - don’t buy one in the first place. You’re saving yourself, what, a few minutes a month? The risk vs. reward ratio is way off.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

I bought an Amazon Fire 7” tablet a few years ago because I knew the build quality would be good. There are instructions on the Internet on how to add the Google Play Store, which makes it even better. It didn’t originally come with Alexa, but it’s there now. I have it turned off, but that doesn’t mean a thing. I am thinking of ditching it or replacing the operating system with a generic ROM.

[GregoTX]

[Yaelle]

That is funny.

[Yaelle]

“Alexa, what personal conversations have you recorded in this house?”

“Oh, none? Great. Um. I can trust you completely, right Alexa? Good. Thanks.”

[BenLurkin]

Exactly

[Dilbert San Diego]

Anyone remember the book, “Future Shock” years ago?

That book talked in part, of how technology keeps changing and advancing and overwhelms some people.

I feel overwhelmed a bit, with this talk of “Alexa” and talking to a device. I don’t understand what these devices are, or why it makes your life better to have one.

Anyway, so many things have changed in recent decades, that it becomes a task in itself to keep up.

should you get an “I Phone” or a “Droid”, for example? What are the relative merits of each? It takes some work to delve into the different features of each, whereas years ago, you just had a phone, and that was it.

It just seems to me, that not only has technology advanced, but it has gotten more complex.

[dfwgator]

That book talked in part, of how technology keeps changing and advancing and overwhelms some people.

There was a fantastic show back in the late 1970s called "Connections", which talked about the "Technology Trap", and how things can suddenly be thrown into chaos if a piece of technology we rely suddenly becomes unavailable, because people won't know how to cope. And I believe inevitably the day will come when the Technology Trap will close in on us.

[G Larry]

Don't install spy devices that can be used against you!

Same reason I won't buy a dash cam that records speed and GPS data.

[texas_mrs]

I don’t search on Google, I don’t own an android phone, I don’t have Gmail, and I darn sure don’t have Alexa in my home.

[VTenigma]

If you believe you can delete a conversation recorded by Google, you might be a moron. (hat tip Jeff Foxworthy)

[GreyFriar]

Another reason not to get google voice/home or alexa and other voice activated stuff like that.

[LonePalm]

Ah, James Burke, the great leisure suit of knowledge.

The Connections and The Day the Universe Changed series are available on Youtube.

Now I have to go back and watch them again.

"Ceterum censeo Islam esse delendam."

Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)

[AnotherUnixGeek]

I feel overwhelmed a bit, with this talk of “Alexa” and talking to a device. I don’t understand what these devices are, or why it makes your life better to have one.

They add convenience, safety and flexibility you didn't have before. People have been living fine without them for nearly our entire history, so no one needs them. But the Internet-of-Things, intelligent agents, and voice interaction are all useful tools, same as all of the other tools man has ever created - there are trade-offs and risks, but they can make our lives easier.

I use the Amazon Echo to voice-enable my lights, ceiling fans, thermostat and outdoor cameras. I do not connect it to my security alarm or to my door locks, even though it's possible - not a good idea. I can still control all of these things manually at any time, but for my 78 year old mom, who lives with us, it's a relief to be able to simply "ask Alexa" to turn on her ceiling fan when she needs without having to get up on her arthritic hip.

I get notified on my iPhone at work by my Nest video doorbell whenever anyone comes near my front door - it shows me and records whether it's the mailman, Mormons, or possibly some shady character trying break in, and everyone inside my house can easily see who's at the door without ever opening it from any of the Echo Spot devices connected to the video doorbell. I like that. We're still in the early days of such tools, but so far the advantages outweigh the disadvantages for me - the risk of privacy intrusion is real, though, so buyer beware.

[publius911]

How to hear (and delete) every conversation your Google Home has recorded

The bleeding age of technology is very sharp.
Why so many words?
The succinct advice: NEVER BUY ONE!

Technological ignoramuses are the prey of criminals.

My biggest laugh of last week. I got a phone call...

Message : The IRS has issued a warrant for your arrest!

I felt ignored and unimportant for such along time.
*SNIFF*

[metmom]

There was a fantastic show back in the late 1970s called "Connections", which talked about the "Technology Trap", and how things can suddenly be thrown into chaos if a piece of technology we rely suddenly becomes unavailable, because people won't know how to cope. And I believe inevitably the day will come when the Technology Trap will close in on us.

I'm ready and trying to teach my kids to be also.

[publius911]

There was a fantastic show back in the late 1970s called "Connections"

One of my favorite series of all time. The only other I can think of off the top of my head is Victory at Sea"

Connections

The series and subsequent ones are available on DVD at Amazon.

[metmom]

Don’t let it go to your head.

I get one of those every couple months.

And laugh......

[dfwgator]

“In America Television Watches You”