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People are reporting Alexa laughing at random

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Offline tthoben

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Re: People are reporting Alexa laughing at random
« Reply #1 on: March 05, 2018, 07:14:50 pm »
Echo Dot @ SG

mike27oct

Re: People are reporting Alexa laughing at random
« Reply #2 on: March 06, 2018, 01:43:19 am »
I was startled a week ago by Alexa.  I had just finished listening to radio program on my Tap, and was picking it up to shut it down when alexa calmly asked me "Are you Michael?"  !!!!  I hesitated a moment and she asked again.  So I said Yes.  She said. I want to ask you a few questions so I can learn your voice, OK?  I answered Sure, and Alexa asked me to pronounce 20 words after her.  She then thanked me and flew off in her flying saucer.

I thought this was an optional feature in app settings, but this question from Alexa came out of the blue.

Laurel

Re: People are reporting Alexa laughing at random
« Reply #3 on: March 06, 2018, 04:36:41 pm »
I was startled a week ago by Alexa.  I had just finished listening to radio program on my Tap, and was picking it up to shut it down when alexa calmly asked me "Are you Michael?"  !!!!  I hesitated a moment and she asked again.  So I said Yes.  She said. I want to ask you a few questions so I can learn your voice, OK?  I answered Sure, and Alexa asked me to pronounce 20 words after her.  She then thanked me and flew off in her flying saucer.

I thought this was an optional feature in app settings, but this question from Alexa came out of the blue.
That was a little creepy.  It wouldn't take much for you to spill the beans to enemy agents lol. So says the gal that has been paying Credit Karma for 3 months for free credit score. 


mike27oct

Re: People are reporting Alexa laughing at random
« Reply #4 on: March 06, 2018, 07:34:33 pm »
Yea, and after playing 20 QUESTIONS, and a request by alexa to give her time to get this setup for me, I still do not have voice recog.  And, I really don't care to anyway  Seems insignificant anyway.  Ordering stuff via Alexa by voice does not excite me in the least.

AlanH


Re: People are reporting Alexa laughing at random
« Reply #6 on: March 07, 2018, 09:51:16 pm »
The laugh made the news today in Dallas...
2 Echo Dots 2nd gen
2 echo dots gen 3 (no clock) -2 Echo Dot 3rd gen with Clock
1 echo dot Gen 4 with clock
1 Echo Spot
4 10" Fire Tablets
1 15' Echo show
23 Hue Lights 1 Hue bridge - 1 Amazon Smart plug outlet
One Ring Doorbell Pro
4 cell phones with Alexa app installed!
You should see My Apple Device List!

mike27oct

Re: People are reporting Alexa laughing at random
« Reply #7 on: March 07, 2018, 10:13:49 pm »
I would not be surprised to hear that it was either 1) an inside prank by an Amazon employee or 2) an "implant" from an external hacker (Russians perhaps?).

strayfish

Re: People are reporting Alexa laughing at random
« Reply #8 on: March 08, 2018, 03:52:46 am »
I'll see your Dallas news and raise you the actual BBC! They played a clip of the laugh - does it sound like the Alexa voice to you? Mine's British and it doesn't (which makes it even creepier) but maybe it does if you have the US version.

Re: People are reporting Alexa laughing at random
« Reply #9 on: March 08, 2018, 05:21:46 am »
just asked alexa to laugh and all it said was te he.  thats it.  maybe someone found a way to drop in everyones alexa.  at least its not giving a maniacal laugh and asking for the color of your underwear. 

strayfish

Re: People are reporting Alexa laughing at random
« Reply #10 on: March 08, 2018, 07:14:12 am »
Yikes!

mike27oct

Re: People are reporting Alexa laughing at random
« Reply #11 on: March 08, 2018, 01:26:42 pm »
I also asked Alexa to laugh last night (she also said tee-hee after hearing the mechanical and stiff he, he, he on NBC News. Definitely was not Alexa's voice.  Probably a hack (as a test of the break in before inflicting more serious damage?)

Re: People are reporting Alexa laughing at random
« Reply #12 on: March 08, 2018, 05:13:45 pm »
it's fixed now.  you can no longer ask alexa to laugh, by saying "alexa laugh"

https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2018/3/7/17092334/amazon-alexa-devices-strange-laughter

Quote
fix will involve disabling the phrase, “Alexa, laugh,” and changing the command to “Alexa, can you laugh?” The company says the latter phrase is “less likely to have false positives,”

mike27oct

Re: People are reporting Alexa laughing at random
« Reply #13 on: March 08, 2018, 06:37:37 pm »
Actually, I never asked, "Alexa, laugh".  Coincidentally, I asked yesterday or so, "Alexa, can you laugh?" and she responded as described in article.  The fix by Amazon sounds more like a cover up than a real fix. How does this prevent the random pop ups of the laughter occurring.  This laugh is not a tee-hee spoken by Alexa.

strayfish

Re: People are reporting Alexa laughing at random
« Reply #14 on: March 09, 2018, 03:21:12 am »
I agree, Mike, it wasn't an Alexa sound so it was either a random intrusion or a deliberate one.