Amazon removes opt-out for Alexa voice recording storage

Amazon has announced a significant change to how it handles voice recordings from its Alexa devices. Starting March 28, users will no longer be able to opt-out of having their voice commands sent to Amazon's cloud servers. This means that everything spoken to Alexa will be stored indefinitely. This update is part of the new "Alexa+" generative AI enhancement. According to Amazon, the processing will now only happen in the cloud, which requires recording user interactions. The company informed customers via email about the removal of the "Do Not Send Voice Recordings" option. Critics express concerns over privacy. Many believe this move highlights Amazon's disregard for customer data security. Although Amazon claims that only a small percentage of Echo users opted out (0.3 percent), it raises questions about privacy control for the rest. In the past, Alexa has faced scrutiny for accidentally recording private conversations and sending them to others. Amazon acknowledges that its employees often listen to these recordings to improve the service. Despite these concerns, Amazon insists that it prioritizes its customers' privacy and data security. The company claims that the changes are meant to enhance user experience and work better with the new AI features.