SMART SPEAKERS: CAN THEY BE TRUSTED?

Smart speakers always remain in listening mode. As smart devices, they link back to servers and, with the help of smart assistants, wait for commands to begin interaction. The fact that smart speakers remain in listening mode forever means they continue to gather data about their surroundings even if no command is issued. It is possible to tell who someone is by listening to what is discussed. As such, smart speakers gather adequate information about people’s lives to create a profile about them. Tech companies actively collect data about their users. At times, the government makes use of this information. Other people using the same smart speaker can also access personal information that does not belong to them. The people using smart speakers have minimal control over how their personal collected data is used and by whom. However, part of the reason smart speakers raise privacy concerns comes from the inadequate accountability by users. People use smart speakers but do not take the time to review the privacy guidelines and learn about the privacy features. In this current study, the author found indications that privacy protection tendencies were not expected. People who use smart speakers and other devices for smart homes that use the Internet of Things (IoT) frequently do not take part in social, technical, and data-linked privacy safeguard behavior. With people paying inadequate attention to privacy and how to ensure that their smart speakers do not listen to them when not activated, the question arises as to just how much these devices take in without the user’s knowledge and consent.