Attention, listen: Siri, Alexa and Co. as an underestimated danger



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Vienna – Most enjoy comfort and do not give it a lot: digital badistants such as Apple's Siri, Amazon Alexa, Google's badistant or Microsoft's Cortana are now more often on the phone. Or they listen in their four walls. Representatives of the Chamber of Labor, complacent and intelligent – but also dangerous – warned Tuesday at a press conference in Vienna. Above all, privacy, once fiercely fought, suffers: there would be very specific profiles of each household and each member. While blind and motorized limbs tend to outweigh the benefits, other consumers should be aware and weigh the bottom

According to a study of 2017, 27% of Austrian households already issue orders for smart appliances. Currently, it is badumed about a quarter. According to consumer advocates to media representatives, three out of four young people would already have such experience. Above all, they cautioned against the consequences for inexperienced children and adolescents, who naturally communicate with artificial intelligence.

Privacy is often ignored

Few consumers know how much data suppliers collect – and it is often difficult to determine what information can be concretely evaluated. A new study commissioned by the Labor Chamber from 08/2018 to 06/2019 shows that privacy is often more or less ignored when using smart gadgets. The Institute for Technology Assessment (ITA) devotes itself to 77 pages primarily to the "character of surveillance" devices, which are primarily intended for convenience. The price could be the loss of privacy, experts say. In addition, the quality and objectivity of responses are not controlled – the question is whether the virtual butler no longer serves the manufacturer as the owner.

The growing proliferation of recent years raises many questions for privacy advocates: the devices, almost unnoticed, collect information about private and professional life very close to the lives of consumers, which, in the badysis, can provide unprecedented conclusions. For example, language profiles or location data can reveal a lot, especially at home, at the center of life, potentially all family members, or even visitors, are heard and their data collected and processed.

Permanent preparation for wiretap

Jaro Krieger-Lamina, co-author, wants to make clear that you have to be ready to read constantly. Most private conversations can lead to "by-catch" at the provider. The effects on worldview, behavior and communication through interaction with these systems should not be overlooked: the harmless female voice "unlocks" valuable information for users. More and more "spies" include much more than what is said at first glance, it could be created with various additional data "very specific personality profiles" and allow automated decision making.

Finally, many data protection issues are currently difficult to clarify: on the one hand, the possibility of collective redress in Austria is lacking, on the other hand, it is often difficult to obtain information on the data collected. users, especially on their use and storage, especially if the company is located abroad. According to consumer advocates, non-transparent data badysis aggravates the imbalance between suppliers and customers. (APA)

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