Sens. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., and Chris Coons, D-Del., sent a letter earlier this week to Amazon Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos demanding answers on consumer privacy protection protocol.
The demands come in response to a recent incident where an Amazon Echo device recorded a family’s conversation, then sent it to a random person in their contacts. The controversy sparked backlash from consumers, citing eavesdropping and privacy concerns. The letter specifically asked for details about technical design elements and privacy features of the Echo device, popularly dubbed “Alexa.”
“In-home, internet-connected devices like the Echo are designed to make consumers’ lives easier – they can play our favorite music, adjust the temperature in our homes, and order dinner from our favorite restaurants, all with a simple verbal command. While these functions can be helpful, it’s important that the right standards are in place to protect consumers’ privacy,” Coons said.
“Recent reports have raised serious questions about how Amazon collects and stores voice data, and what steps are being taken to make sure this information is not shared without consumers’ consent. People have the right to know how their data is being used and protected, and we look forward to Mr. Bezos’ response to these important questions,” he added.
The senators, who lead the Judiciary subcommittee on privacy, technology and the law, presented six questions to Bezos in the letter, scrutinizing specific technological processes.
The Amazon Echo isn’t the first example of privacy protection concerns in recent months. Facebook was the center of a data breach scandal, where 87 million users had their personal information improperly shared with research firm Cambridge Analytica.
