But not all smart assistants are made equal. In most cases, you can restrict which information is collected by the device and associated services. Other times, assistants might gather more details about your than you realize. Tap or click here to see how one smart assistant is secretly recording you. You might want to think twice before giving a smart assistant unbridled access to your data. Here are the biggest offenders and how you can limit their reach.
Here’s the backstory
If you had to guess which smart assistant collects the most data on you, which would you pick? If you immediately thought about Google’s wide reach and how the Home app can be used for almost anything, you would be wrong. It turns out that Alexa collects 11 data points, while Samsung’s Bixby voice assistant collects the same amount. Of the five smart assistants, Google Assistant and Apple’s Siri collect the least, only looking at eight data points.
Data gathered on you
The vast amount of data collected can be scary to see fleshed out, but you must remember that it’s this data that smart assistants rely on to provide you with the best service. If you don’t want to share data, the best move is to not use a smart assistant at all.
AddressPayment informationAgePersonal interests stored in your profilePersonal description as stored in your profileAcoustic model of voice characteristics
Samsung’s Bixby assistant additionally collects you:
AddressPayment informationAgePersonal interestsPersonal descriptionIP addressYour calendar
Information collected about your files
Alexa is the biggest culprit when it comes to data collection about your files and activity as she gathers 14 data points. The next smart assistant, Samsung’s Bixby, collects information from 12 data points.
Voice recordings from smart assistant interactionsImages and video stored to your accountRecord of interactions and requestsShortcuts added to smart assistantRecords of communication requests with your contactsRecords of review and email sent to the companyPurchase historyBrowsing historyLog of device useContent downloads, streams, and application useImages stored in your profileFile names, dates, times, and image locations
Limit the data that Alexa gathers
There are several things that you can do to limit the data that Alexa gathers on you. If you are concerned about your personal details falling into the wrong hands, here’s how:
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