STRIKE FROM THE RECORD

Amazon Adds ‘Delete What I Said’ Function to Latest Alexa

The new feature appears to be an attempt by Amazon to give users more agency in their privacy.

Amazon has added a new security function to the latest Echo—the company’s smart speaker—that allows users to delete voice recordings with commands to Alexa. Users can now say, “Alexa, delete what I said today,” and will soon be able to tell Alexa to “delete what I just said.” Amazon already offered the ability to delete recordings via the Alexa app, but the added voice command option will give the function greater transparency. Amazon has long maintained that it does not record customer conversations, and protects any records on encrypted servers. However, the omnipresent nature of Echo and other smart speakers have raised concerns among security analysts and users. The addition of the voice deletion feature appears as an attempt by Amazon to give users more agency in their privacy.