Amazon Accidentally Leaked User’s Alexa Recordings Due to “Human Error”
Last updated September 28, 2021
- An Alexa user had his audio recordings leaked to an Amazon user in Germany due to an error by the company.
- Amazon has promised that it was just an isolated incident and other users should not be worried about it.
- The concerned authorities have been notified and the issue that caused the error has been resolved.
A bizarre mistake on Amazon’s part caused an Alexa user’s thousands of audio recordings to be sent to another customer. The issue occurred when the Alexa owner requested access to all of his audio snippets from the company, but Amazon ended up sending the data to someone else. The recipient received 1,700 voice files from the company and immediately notified support staff about an issue.
Amazon staff did not respond to the recipient for unknown reasons, but he was unable to access the original file after filing the complaint indicating that the company had restricted access to the file. However, the customer had already downloaded the file to his computer and found conversations between a man and a woman. C't Magazine conducted an analysis and was able to identify the affected user based on the recorded information.
An Amazon spokesperson revealed in an official statement "This unfortunate case was the result of a human error and an isolated single case. We resolved the issue with the two customers involved and took measures to further optimize our processes. As a precautionary measure, we contacted the relevant authorities."
This is not the first time Amazon misplaced information of a customer. Earlier this year, a couple from Portland, Oregon discovered that their Echo device recorded a conversation and sent it to someone on their contact list. The incident was caused due to Alexa hearing background voices incorrectly, and the voice assistance translated it to a command to send a voice message to the recipient. The owners of the Alexa devices demanded a full refund for all of their smart devices over the incident.
What do you think about the incident between the two Amazon users? Let us know in the comments below. Don’t forget to join the discussion where our online community also likes to hang out, on Facebook and Twitter.
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