Since the arrival of the Amazon Alexa-enabled Echo in 2014, users have been wary of the device.
Consumers questioned whether the device is essentially acting as a spy and expressed concerns about what happens to the recordings stored in its cloud memory.
In a video that garnered over 658,000 views, TikToker Jess (@cozylifewithbless) shared why she and her husband are “officially done” with their Alexa-enabled device.
For starters, Jess said it made her uneasy that Alexa recognized her voice, saying things like “For Jess, here are some recommendations,” or “Hello, Jess, welcome back.”
“I think that’s already weird that Alexa can recognize my voice,” she said.
But things got even weirder, she said, when her husband was home alone with the device.
“This past weekend, I was gone out of town, and the Alexa kept going off, and it kept talking to my husband. He was playing games at 1am, and he was like, ‘This is just super super weird.'”
She said she knows she’s not alone in being creeped out by the device, as other customers have shared their own horror stories on TikTok.
“I have been seeing a lot of peoples videos on TikTok about how their Alexa has been really creeping them out or doing some weird things,” she said.
She said the “final straw” for them was Alexa “speaking after not being talked to at all.” Jess said she immediately ordered a kitchen timer “because that’s the only thing we even use Alexa for” and is looking into switching to Google Home.
“I’m just curious though, is Google the same thing? Has anyone had any terrible experiences using a Google Home?” she asked viewers.
The Daily Dot has reached out to @cozylifewithbless via email.
@cozylifewithbless alexa is officially evicted from our place! @Amazon Home ♬ original sound – jess
Several viewers found Jess’ concerns odd, as they expect their Alexa device to recognize their voice and act in a similar manner.
“When you set the Alexa up it is set up on your Amazon account that has your name on it,” one commenter wrote. “There is nothing strange going on.”
“Our Alexa knows everyone in the house by their voice,” another said. “It learns over time by asking your name and repeating key phrases.”
Another claimed that their device must’ve been prompted when it started speaking, arguing they “said some word that triggered her” or maybe “she thought she heard Alexa.”
However, others agreed with Jess, sharing her concerns are exactly why they refuse to have devices like Alexa in their homes.
“I refuse to have anything like that in my house, our phone is enough for me,” one commenter shared.
“This why my husband and me don’t want to deal with this,” another wrote. “we only have a smart TV so we can watch Disney plus and Hulu. No Alexa, No Google, No baby monitor, nothing connected with internet related.”
Amazon previously worked to dispel the idea that Alexa listens beyond completing individual requests or answering direct questions, outlining specific privacy features.
The Daily Dot reached out to Amazon via email.