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Privacy Concerns Could Impact Alexa Device Sales This Prime Day

Thirty-nine percent of expectant Prime Day shoppers recently polled by PCMag said privacy concerns will discourage them from purchasing Alexa-enabled products.

Angela Moscaritolo
 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

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Prime Day is almost here, which means that big discounts on Echo smart speakers and other Amazon Alexa gadgets are just around the corner.

The Why Axis BugBut a new PCMag survey of US consumers who plan to purchase tech on Prime Day indicates that privacy concerns, including revelations that Amazon has thousands of people listening to Alexa voice recordings every day, may impact sales of these devices. Thirty-nine percent of the 1,000 expectant Prime Day shoppers polled by PCMag between May 28 and May 31 said recent privacy issues will discourage them from purchasing Alexa-enabled products. Meanwhile, 61 percent said these concerns won't impact their decision to buy these devices.

The finding comes after Bloomberg in April revealed that Amazon employs thousands of people around the world to listen to Alexa voice recordings to identify human speech the virtual assistant doesn't understand. Amazon says this human element helps Alexa get better at its job.

"For example, this information helps us train our speech recognition and natural language understanding systems, so Alexa can better understand your requests, and ensure the service works well for everyone," an Amazon spokesperson reportedly said.

Meanwhile, the PCMag survey also touched on another Prime Day worry: porch pirates. Thirty-six percent of those planning to shop on Prime Day said they are concerned about porch pirates stealing their packages. Of those who are concerned about this risk, 13 percent plan to work from home to collect their parcels and 10 percent plan to have their packages sent to a different location such as work. Just 13 percent of those worried about porch pirates have a home security camera installed.

Why Axis Prime Day package theft concerns

An outdoor home security camera can give you peace of mind when expecting deliveries and help protect your home all the time. If you're looking to install one in time for Prime Day, our favorites include Arlo Pro 2, Arlo Ultra, Ezviz C3W ezGuard Wi-Fi Security Camera, and Ring Stick Up Cam Battery. Also be sure to check out our how-to article on protecting your front door deliveries.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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