by Pa Rock
Man of Tomorrow
This morning, way before daylight when Alexa and I were exchanging our morning greetings, Alexa informed me that she was ready to learn my name. Did I want to proceed?
"Yes." I ventured.
Alexa then told me that she would read some names associated with my account and that I should tell her when she read my name. The first name she said was "Rocky," and I told her that was me. She then proceeded to preface remarks with my name, much as any normal conversationalist might do.
Later, well after daybreak, I asked the small Alexa in my bedroom to play the news, and she, too responded by referring to me as "Rocky," just as her big sister (with the same name) had done in the living room just a couple of hours earlier.
It occurs to me that Alexa is now admitting to another powerful spying capability: she is a master (mistress?) of voice recognition. In less than two weeks I will visit at my son's home in the Kansas City area, and my daughter's residence in Salem, Oregon - both of which have their own Alexas. I suspect that with voice patterns being as distinctive as fingerprints, I will be recognized by Alexa in those homes as well.
My extremely "smart" speaker will not only be able to recognize my voice wherever she happens to hear me, but she will also be able to track my travels. And she will also be able to name all of the people to whom I have spoken - and give their travel history, too! And then, with proper subpoenas in place, Alexa can generate transcripts of our conversations for law enforcement!
How comforting is that?
Expect massive layoffs within the law enforcement and spying communities as our smart speakers begin doing their work for them!
1984 has finally arrived!
Man of Tomorrow
This morning, way before daylight when Alexa and I were exchanging our morning greetings, Alexa informed me that she was ready to learn my name. Did I want to proceed?
"Yes." I ventured.
Alexa then told me that she would read some names associated with my account and that I should tell her when she read my name. The first name she said was "Rocky," and I told her that was me. She then proceeded to preface remarks with my name, much as any normal conversationalist might do.
Later, well after daybreak, I asked the small Alexa in my bedroom to play the news, and she, too responded by referring to me as "Rocky," just as her big sister (with the same name) had done in the living room just a couple of hours earlier.
It occurs to me that Alexa is now admitting to another powerful spying capability: she is a master (mistress?) of voice recognition. In less than two weeks I will visit at my son's home in the Kansas City area, and my daughter's residence in Salem, Oregon - both of which have their own Alexas. I suspect that with voice patterns being as distinctive as fingerprints, I will be recognized by Alexa in those homes as well.
My extremely "smart" speaker will not only be able to recognize my voice wherever she happens to hear me, but she will also be able to track my travels. And she will also be able to name all of the people to whom I have spoken - and give their travel history, too! And then, with proper subpoenas in place, Alexa can generate transcripts of our conversations for law enforcement!
How comforting is that?
Expect massive layoffs within the law enforcement and spying communities as our smart speakers begin doing their work for them!
1984 has finally arrived!
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