Alexa and home security.

[John_Joey]

Just came out and is very easy to incorporate:

“Alexa Guard can help you keep your home safe. Get Smart Alerts sent to your phone if Alexa detects the sound of smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, or glass breaking when you’re away. Guard also works with connected smart lights to make it look like someone’s home.

Guard is a free Alexa feature. To get started, from your mobile device:
1) Open the latest version of the Alexa app.
2) Navigate to the Settings menu.
3) Select Guard to begin setup.”

[qtla9111]

"As The Post has written, voice-based devices like Amazon's Echo and Google Home are always "awake," passively listening for commands to activate. ... Google and Amazon keep a copy of every conversation. Amazon has not disclosed how many times users have improperly been granted access to another person's recordings."

At home, I sometimes use bad language, talk bad about politicians and even say dirty things. I don't want them recorded.

I guess I shouldn't care. I have heard Alexa being asked questions and I kind of like it.

[John_Joey]

Another way to look at listening is what a dog does. Hears everything, but only key things will get their attention.

For the truly paranoid, a smart phone has a listener, and can be accessed remotely. Might want to pull the battery when not in use.

Guessing that could be view as snarky by some. yMMV. :B

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

RoyB wrote:


I was under the impression that the unit would not connect to anything until it heard the word "ALEXA" from the home side... The only time it is connected and passing info is when the light around the unit is ON???

Who knows haha...

I read that anything that can "listen" is always listening (or else it wouldn't work). Based on that, I've ignored Alexa and her nosy friends; but as Snowbird security, that sounds helpful.

I have the Amazon Cloud Cams which have some really nice customization features (like blocking certain areas to ignore detected motion) and mine alerted me to someone outside, shining a flashlight around our living room at 3AM one night. I'm not sure Alexa would have "seen" that.

[pawatt]

We have 3 Alexa's use mostly for music, news and weather reports and asking random questions. also use the timers and alarms daily. I wouldn't worry about privacy unless I was involved in criminal endeavors.

[mgirardo]

How To Geek has a little write up about using Alexa Guard.

Definitely a nice addition.

-Michael

[RoyB]

Guy Roan wrote:
We had bought "Google Home" and after setting it up discovered that it is monitoring every thing we said.
We promptly returned it
It is bad enough that when on the net we are being monitored
No Thanks|

Guy

I was under the impression that the unit would not connect to anything until it heard the word "ALEXA" from the home side... The only time it is connected and passing info is when the light around the unit is ON???

Who knows haha...

The biggest thing I seem to use it for here is when I am calling one of the CELL PHONEs at home and no one answers I yell at them over ALEXA to answer their cell phone hehe...

Roy Ken

[maddog348]

John&Joey

NOT all 'change' is GOOD!! That was a rather snarky answer.

JM2¢ ~~ YMMV

[Campfire_Time]

Guy Roan wrote:
We had bought "Google Home" and after setting it up discovered that it is monitoring every thing we said.
We promptly returned it
It is bad enough that when on the net we are being monitored
No Thanks|

Guy

You were doomed the day you were approved for a credit card.

[John_Joey]

Guy Roan wrote:
We had bought "Google Home" and after setting it up discovered that it is monitoring every thing we said.
We promptly returned it
It is bad enough that when on the net we are being monitored
No Thanks|

Guy

This is a snowbirding forum for when you’re away for the winter. Can’t help those that fear change, but I can help those that don't.

[John_Joey]

It should also work with cheap $10 water and flood sensor alarms or any form of an alarm.

[Guy_Roan]

We had bought "Google Home" and after setting it up discovered that it is monitoring every thing we said.
We promptly returned it
It is bad enough that when on the net we are being monitored
No Thanks|

Guy

[Campfire_Time]

Double post. Sorry...

[Campfire_Time]

Very cool! Thanks for the heads up! I just set it up. Just one note, it may not be available yet to all Alexa customers. It's still being rolled out.