And therefore it’s always listening, like a butler in the dining room corner, only activating when summoned, but hearing everything all the dining room guests are saying, regardless.
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Yes, this must be true.
But – and I don’t want to debate this – my understanding is that the privacy protections from an Apple device are different (and ‘better’) than an Alexa device. I didn’t probe on that, just took his word.
I can say – because I have a HomePod mini in my unit, that I don’t receive messages from FB or others that appear related to conversations I have or things I have asked the HomePod mini to do.
I did look this up once and I came away with a sense that there was a positive privacy difference for an Apple vs an Alexa device, though I also got the impression that it’s not an open and shut case. [I think it might have to do with what is saved on Apple servers?]
Our home was built without wall switches for the bedroom lights. So I have at least one floor lamp that’s plugged into a smart plug and controlled by Alexa. Thirty years ago I would have used “The Clapper” for the same purpose.
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Just found this thread, which appears to go back to to 2019.
To confirm: has anyone actually had AirBnB remove a listing due to the presence of a modern Alexa/Google/Sir-enabled device?
As a reminder, that’s more than just Echos/HomePods/etc, but smart TVs, Sonos speakers, Hue light bulbs, thermostats, security systems, and many others.
I know this is an old thread, but decided to resurrect it instead of starting a new one. With the most recent update, AirBnB has now explicitly allowed hosts to have smart home devices, like Alexa, and hosts are NOT required (although they are encouraged) to disclose them.
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I think a guest at an Airbnb has to be pretty clueless and egocentric to think that anybody is interested in what happens in front of your smart device. Although, I’m pretty sure that the host wants to know how many times Alexa was used to ask for a good restaurant recommendations. That kind of information is practically espionage level, right?
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Egocentric is right.
I don’t have Alexa devises in the rentals although I’ve had them at home for several years. And I don’t see what value they would add to the apartments.
They are just another thing to clean, to maintain and to get nicked. (I realise that it was a good idea for @PitonView 's place though).
If devices are collecting my data in order to attempt to sell me something, then it’s entirely up to me whether I do.
Just because ads (such as Google ads) are based on my data (sites visited for instance) it doesn’t mean that I’m going to buy them. I have free will, after all.
For some reason, my other half is regularly shown ads for watches. But he’s never bought a watch from those ads. We’re bombarded with ads all the time but then it’s up to us.
If people are up to no good then I can understand that cameras, recording devices, cellphones and many other things today would worry them (although the other view is that they keep the rest of us safer.)
But if any device, CIA spy, search engine, cellphone, laptop or other device wants to listen to us discussing what’s for dinner or who spilled that wine on the worktop or who is going to wash the dishes or whatever is quite welcome to waste its time doing so.
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Too many tin foil hats for sure. OTAs blocking smart speakers would be shooting themselves in the foot, these speakers are increasingly used for hospitality specific recommendations.
For example, I ran an evaluation of Virtual Concierge over this winter. Had a been running a more expansive portfolio of properties it would make a lot of sense to provide a branded, uniform XP. For just a couple directly managed STRs where I’m extremely hands on, proactive in guest signage around Alexa devices, and already customizing them with custom automations/skills, not so much.
Here’s the info in case others want to check it out:
To think we as humans are not influenced by curated content based on data collected about us, whether ads, articles or postings, is assuming a lot.
I participated in a exercise and brain health study at a local university public health school, and asked the students doing intake what they were studying and planning as careers. I got the expected answers – medicine, physical therapy – and then something unexpected, applied cognitive science for social media marketing.
I looked at the board listing the school’s biggest donors in the lobby on my way out – Google and Meta were at the very top.
Scary.
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I agree- while many of us can easily ignore targeted ads, and may even never buy anything from a company that bombards us with ads, out of annoyance, if that advertising didn’t work, companies wouldn’t waste their money on it.
Back before the days of internet, when all ads were on TV and in print media, a friend of mine was a television commercial producer in NYC. She was only in her early 20s and just considered it a fun job, without really thinking about what she was actually doing.
She once did an ad for a new model of Singer sewing machine. The next day her boss popped his head in the door and said “Congratulations Sally, you just earned yourself a big fat bonus and a raise.”
She was like “Huh, why?” Her boss said those sewing machines had just sold out all across the country within 24 hours of the ad airing.
“You mean because of the TV commercial? People went out and bought the machine?”
“Yes, of course, what do you think we employ you for?”
She was so freaked out that she had so much influence and control over peoples’ buying habits, she quit the job that day.
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That bonus must have been large! We at Tiny Tiki eschew most electronic devices other than our old laptops and newer iphones. There is a vintage vibe and the Smart tv is teeny. Being unplugged is hard these days… guests can bring their own, and they do.