Amazon Just Massively Invaded Their Customers' Privacy

[g5000]

I have an Amazon Echo. Two, actually. An Echo and an Echo Dot.

For a long time, I have been asking Amazon why it is not possible to use two or more Echoes as an intercom system. It is amazing this has never occurred to them.

Every once in while, Amazon sends out emails to Echo owners to let us know what new features they have added to the Echo's capabilities.

The latest email informed me of a Drop In feature. This is a feature where you can actually call from one Echo to another.

Sounds like an intercom, right?

Not quite. It allows you to call from your Echo to literally any other Echo on the planet. The implications of this did not sink in until I activated the feature.

So here's is what I discovered when I activated this feature. The Amazon Alexa app invades your phone contact list and reads all the phone numbers of everyone you know. It then compares all your contacts' phone numbers with its database of all Echo customers.

If any of your contacts match up as Echo customers, the Alexa app plops them into a "Friends and Family" list on the Alexa app.

It doesn't ask you if you want them on your list. It just does it.

So now you know all the people on your list of contacts who own Echoes.

This also means anyone who has YOUR name on THEIR contact list will know YOU have an Amazon Echo account.

A HUGE violation of privacy!

What's more, once Amazon puts those names on your Friends and Family list, there is no way to delete them from that list!

I kid you not. This is what Amazon tells me.

I hope they get sued into oblivion.

So then the Amazon chat person tells me there is one way to get someone off my Alexa Friends and Family list...


I have to delete them from my phone entirely. Take them off any app where I have their phone number.


Again, I kid you not.


There are some profoundly retarded people working at Amazon.



My advice?


DO NOT ACTIVATE DROP IN! DO NOT ACTIVATE DROP IN!

And cancel your Amazon account.

 

[Mac1958]

I have an Amazon Echo. Two, actually. An Echo and an Echo Dot.

For a long time, I have been asking Amazon why it is not possible to use two or more Echoes as an intercom system. It is amazing this has never occurred to them.

Every once in while, Amazon sends out emails to Echo owners to let us know what new features they have added to the Echo's capabilities.

The latest email informed me of a Drop In feature. This is a feature where you can actually call from one Echo to another.

Sounds like an intercom, right?

Not quite. It allows you to call from your Echo to literally any other Echo on the planet. The implications of this did not sink in until I activated the feature.

So here's is what I discovered when I activated this feature. The Amazon Alexa app invades your phone contact list and reads all the phone numbers of everyone you know. It then compares all your contacts' phone numbers with its database of all Echo customers.

If any of your contacts match up as Echo customers, the Alexa app plops them into a "Friends and Family" list on the Alexa app.

It doesn't ask you if you want them on your list. It just does it.

So now you know all the people on your list of contacts who own Echoes.

This also means anyone who has YOUR name on THEIR contact list will know YOU have an Amazon Echo account.

A HUGE violation of privacy!

What's more, once Amazon puts those names on your Friends and Family list, there is no way to delete them from that list!

I kid you not. This is what Amazon tells me.

I hope they get sued into oblivion.

So then the Amazon chat person tells me there is one way to get someone off my Alexa Friends and Family list...


I have to delete them from my phone entirely. Take them off any app where I have their phone number.


Again, I kid you not.


There are some profoundly retarded people working at Amazon.



My advice?


DO NOT ACTIVATE DROP IN! DO NOT ACTIVATE DROP IN!

And cancel your Amazon account.

Have you seen Jason Bourne, the most recent movie in the series?

It's about a Google CEO-like guy who is working with the government to snoop, constantly, on everyone.

Creepy. And not impossible.
.

 

[BlackFlag]

I have an Amazon Echo. Two, actually. An Echo and an Echo Dot.

For a long time, I have been asking Amazon why it is not possible to use two or more Echoes as an intercom system. It is amazing this has never occurred to them.

Every once in while, Amazon sends out emails to Echo owners to let us know what new features they have added to the Echo's capabilities.

The latest email informed me of a Drop In feature. This is a feature where you can actually call from one Echo to another.

Sounds like an intercom, right?

Not quite. It allows you to call from your Echo to literally any other Echo on the planet. The implications of this did not sink in until I activated the feature.

So here's is what I discovered when I activated this feature. The Amazon Alexa app invades your phone contact list and reads all the phone numbers of everyone you know. It then compares all your contacts' phone numbers with its database of all Echo customers.

If any of your contacts match up as Echo customers, the Alexa app plops them into a "Friends and Family" list on the Alexa app.

It doesn't ask you if you want them on your list. It just does it.

So now you know all the people on your list of contacts who own Echoes.

This also means anyone who has YOUR name on THEIR contact list will know YOU have an Amazon Echo account.

A HUGE violation of privacy!

What's more, once Amazon puts those names on your Friends and Family list, there is no way to delete them from that list!

I kid you not. This is what Amazon tells me.

I hope they get sued into oblivion.

So then the Amazon chat person tells me there is one way to get someone off my Alexa Friends and Family list...


I have to delete them from my phone entirely. Take them off any app where I have their phone number.


Again, I kid you not.


There are some profoundly retarded people working at Amazon.



My advice?


DO NOT ACTIVATE DROP IN! DO NOT ACTIVATE DROP IN!

And cancel your Amazon account.

Lots of apps use that tech at this point. Get snapchat or venmo, and they'll immediatey rell you which of your contacts have them too. Lots of others too. That cat's out of the bag.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

I have an Amazon Echo. Two, actually. An Echo and an Echo Dot.

For a long time, I have been asking Amazon why it is not possible to use two or more Echoes as an intercom system. It is amazing this has never occurred to them.

Every once in while, Amazon sends out emails to Echo owners to let us know what new features they have added to the Echo's capabilities.

The latest email informed me of a Drop In feature. This is a feature where you can actually call from one Echo to another.

Sounds like an intercom, right?

Not quite. It allows you to call from your Echo to literally any other Echo on the planet. The implications of this did not sink in until I activated the feature.

So here's is what I discovered when I activated this feature. The Amazon Alexa app invades your phone contact list and reads all the phone numbers of everyone you know. It then compares all your contacts' phone numbers with its database of all Echo customers.

If any of your contacts match up as Echo customers, the Alexa app plops them into a "Friends and Family" list on the Alexa app.

It doesn't ask you if you want them on your list. It just does it.

So now you know all the people on your list of contacts who own Echoes.

This also means anyone who has YOUR name on THEIR contact list will know YOU have an Amazon Echo account.

A HUGE violation of privacy!

What's more, once Amazon puts those names on your Friends and Family list, there is no way to delete them from that list!

I kid you not. This is what Amazon tells me.

I hope they get sued into oblivion.

So then the Amazon chat person tells me there is one way to get someone off my Alexa Friends and Family list...


I have to delete them from my phone entirely. Take them off any app where I have their phone number.


Again, I kid you not.


There are some profoundly retarded people working at Amazon.



My advice?


DO NOT ACTIVATE DROP IN! DO NOT ACTIVATE DROP IN!

And cancel your Amazon account.

Have you seen Jason Bourne, the most recent movie in the series?

It's about a Google CEO-like guy who is working with the government to snoop, constantly, on everyone.

Creepy. And not impossible.
.

It's an understated version of the modern world.

 

[beagle9]

Trusting some high tech today, is almost becoming dangerous. People have become exposed, and they have become highly vulnerable. Government has failed at it's job to protect and serve this nation honerably and decently. Sad situation.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

EVERY smart devise is listening and tracking you, that anyone is surprised or only learning this now is what's shocking.

My own more sinister notion is that the government financially support Microsoft, Google, Amazon and Facebook BECAUSE their main job is to keep an eye on you

 

[beagle9]

EVERY smart devise is listening and tracking you, that anyone is surprised or only learning this now is what's shocking.

My own more sinister notion is that the government financially support Microsoft, Google, Amazon and Facebook BECAUSE their main job is to keep an eye on you

. Wasn't it "The tower of Babel" that was a great example in which we as a people should have learned the lessons of the story, where as all manor of people came together to build together a tower into the Heavens as if a man could somehow assend while still in the flesh ? It was an evil thing that was being attempted by man, and it was destroyed right ? The langauges were changed in that no man would understand one another in an attempt to do such a thing again at that time. I look at today, and I think to myself, well here we go again.

 

[beagle9]

EVERY smart devise is listening and tracking you, that anyone is surprised or only learning this now is what's shocking.

My own more sinister notion is that the government financially support Microsoft, Google, Amazon and Facebook BECAUSE their main job is to keep an eye on you

. The fact that our government would have to keep an eye on us now is truly amazing when think about it. What have they led us to become, that it has to watch us now ??

 

[JOSweetHeart]

What will they think of next?

God bless you always!!!

Holly

 

[bitter clinging swiftie]

thats why I make do with a flip phone LOL........techno.ogy is a double edged sword for sure

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

Have one of these showing up on Friday...

GE PSB48YSKSS 48 Inch Built-In Side-by-Side Refrigerator with 24.3 cu. ft. Capacity, WiFi Enabled, Adjustable Glass Shelves, Gallon Door Storage, Climate Control Drawer, Humidity Controlled Crispers and Ice and Water Dispenser with Advanced Filtration System

The damn thing connects to your phone to give you updates on the performance of your fridge,when to change the water filter,turn on or off the ice maker and a host of other functions.
Shits getting creepy at this point.

GE WiFi Connect - Refrigerators

 

[boedicca]

I will never use Alexa, Echo, Siri or any other the other spyware devices & apps promoted by big tech.

 

[evegrant]

Privacy would be invaded here and there, sooner or later.

 

[007]

I have an Amazon Echo. Two, actually. An Echo and an Echo Dot.

For a long time, I have been asking Amazon why it is not possible to use two or more Echoes as an intercom system. It is amazing this has never occurred to them.

Every once in while, Amazon sends out emails to Echo owners to let us know what new features they have added to the Echo's capabilities.

The latest email informed me of a Drop In feature. This is a feature where you can actually call from one Echo to another.

Sounds like an intercom, right?

Not quite. It allows you to call from your Echo to literally any other Echo on the planet. The implications of this did not sink in until I activated the feature.

So here's is what I discovered when I activated this feature. The Amazon Alexa app invades your phone contact list and reads all the phone numbers of everyone you know. It then compares all your contacts' phone numbers with its database of all Echo customers.

If any of your contacts match up as Echo customers, the Alexa app plops them into a "Friends and Family" list on the Alexa app.

It doesn't ask you if you want them on your list. It just does it.

So now you know all the people on your list of contacts who own Echoes.

This also means anyone who has YOUR name on THEIR contact list will know YOU have an Amazon Echo account.

A HUGE violation of privacy!

What's more, once Amazon puts those names on your Friends and Family list, there is no way to delete them from that list!

I kid you not. This is what Amazon tells me.

I hope they get sued into oblivion.

So then the Amazon chat person tells me there is one way to get someone off my Alexa Friends and Family list...


I have to delete them from my phone entirely. Take them off any app where I have their phone number.


Again, I kid you not.


There are some profoundly retarded people working at Amazon.



My advice?


DO NOT ACTIVATE DROP IN! DO NOT ACTIVATE DROP IN!

And cancel your Amazon account.

So... you don't mind someone listening to your every word in your own home?

Why would you want that?

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

Privacy would be invaded here and there, sooner or later.

Sooner or later?