Russians should not discuss "sensitive" information near a "smart" speaker. Privacy can only be guaranteed by physically turning off its microphone, according to the Center for Digital Expertise of Roskachestvo.
Sergey Kuzmenko, the head of the center, explained that the "smart" speaker constantly analyzes the sound environment.
Any background speech can be recorded and used to form an accurate user profile, including interests, daily habits, and even routes.
When buying, you should choose a device that has a microphone mute button. This is the only way to guarantee no eavesdropping, Kuzmenko explained.
A working "smart" speaker does not necessarily record and transmit all conversations to the manufacturer's cloud service. Most often, the gadget sends technical data to check the connection. At the same time, the information is encrypted, so its interception is unlikely.
Hypothetically, the speaker's software (SW) can be configured to recognize specific phrases. But responsible manufacturers build protection into devices that prevents it from being turned into a "bug" for eavesdropping, Roskachestvo assured.
