Gail Eddy, Peak to Peak. If you know anything about me at all, you know that I am passionate about privacy: digital privacy to be specific. The fact that our smartphones, tablets and other smart devices are always listening to us, storing that information, and even selling it, makes me crazy.

I’ve recently learned that the Amazon Alexa device keeps everything until you delete it. Whoa! I can delete data on Alexa? (By the way, Alexa is just like Apple’s Siri. You can ask questions, set timers and ask either of them to look up information on the web. Alexa is available with the Echo Dot and the Echo Show.)

Arstechnica confirmed with Amazon that they keep Alexa recordings forever:

“If you (like so many of us) hate listening to recordings of your own voice, you may be in for an unpleasant future, as Amazon has confirmed it hangs on to every conversation you’ve ever had with an Alexa-enabled device until or unless you specifically delete them.”

What should I do?

* First, open your Amazon account on your computer using your favorite browser.  We like Firefox because it tends to be a little more respectful of our privacy than some of the other browsers.

* Then, hover over the “Accounts and Lists” down arrow.

* Next, click on “Your Content and Devices” about three quarters of the way down the list.

* Then click on “Alexa Privacy” and then “Manage Voice Recordings.”  From there, you will see an option to delete everything.

According to Tom’s Guide, some of the newer devices allow you to delete your history on a day-by-day basis by merely saying: “Alexa, delete everything I said today.”

If you’re also concerned about location privacy and your smartphone check out this article I wrote last year: www.GeekForHireInc.com/location-privacy-iphone-android.  Here’s a snippet:  

“Most smartphone users don’t really lock down their security settings, sticking with the default settings that came with the phone. When they add a new app to their phone, they may not think to check what data they are sharing with the app developer.”

Conclusion:

Be diligent about your Digital Privacy!

Chris Eddy of Geek For Hire, Inc. has been providing computer service to families and small businesses with Mac’s and PCs for the past eighteen years. Angie’s List and the BBB rate Geek For Hire very highly.  You can find more on our website, or give us a call 303-618-0154. Geek For Hire, Inc. provides onsite service (Tier 3 support) to the Denver / Boulder / Front Range area as well as remote service throughout North America.

(Originally published in the August 8, 2019, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)