Our smart devices are listening. Whether it's personally identifiable information, location data, voice recordings, or shopping habits, our smart assistants know far more than we realize.
A survey on smart assistant usage conducted by Reviews.org showed that 56% of respondents are concerned about data collection. After analyzing the terms and conditions of Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri, Bixby, and Cortana, though, it's clear that some degree of data collection is inescapable.
All five services collect your name, phone number, device location, and IP address; the names and numbers of your contacts; your interaction history; and the apps you use. If you don't like that information being stored, you probably shouldn't use a voice assistant.
In the survey, 60% of respondents were concerned about someone listening to their voice recordings, which is a real fear, since Google and Apple have both been caught doing just that. While Google Assistant and Siri now need your permission to record your interactions, the other options record you by default.
Which option is the most invasive? Analysis by Reviews.org found that Alexa collects 37 of the 48 possible data points, the most data out of any other. (It's probably not a coincidence that our readers named Alexa as the least trustworthy voice assistant.) Samsung's Bixby collects 34 points of data, and Cortana collects 32 data points. Siri collects just 30, and Google's smart assistant only 28, making them the least invasive.
Keep in mind that no voice assistant provider is truly interested in protecting your privacy. For instance, Google Assistant and Cortana maintain a log of your location history and routers, Alexa and Bixby record your purchase history, and Siri tracks who is in your Apple Family.
While 76% of Americans report that they use smart assistants, 61% are concerned that these programs and devices are always listening to them in the background. And people have had a hard time alleviating those fears—only 45% of users have tried to disable their smart assistant, with 38% reporting they couldn't figure out how.
If you're looking to take control of your smart assistant, you can stop Alexa from sending your recordings to Amazon, turn off Google Assistant and Bixby, and manage Siri's data collection.