I use my voice to accomplish a lot. Siri can set up meetings for me, silence my phone, and much more. Tap or click five simple voice commands that you use all the time.
Amazon Echo can help you find your phone, lock your front door, or stop by to chat with your loved ones. Tap or click what you usually ask Alexa.
What are the drawbacks of always-on devices listening for commands? Nearly all voice-activated technologies use a microphone that listens for the “wake word.” So, technically, we’re always listening.
If you want to manage your privacy, here’s how to prevent smart devices from listening.
betrayal of facebook
Facebook may request access to your microphone for video chat and text-to-speech purposes. You may be reluctant to let Facebook control your microphone. For apps that block access to the microphone, you can do the following:
Note: Due to the number of Android manufacturers, the steps described in this article may vary by model. If so, check the online manual for your model.
For iPhone:
- open setting app.Then scroll down and tap Facebook.
- Press the green switch next to the microphone off position.
You can also follow these steps:
- open setting app.Then scroll down and tap Privacy and security.
- Find the menu labeled microphone Tap.
- Find Facebook in the list of apps and press the green switch off position.
for android:
- open setting Tap. app.
- Tap the app you want to change (Facebook in this case).
- Choose AuthorityTo change the permission setting, tap it and choose from the following options: Allow only while using the app, Ask me every time, or Never.
If you want to shoot videos or chat with friends, go back to these settings and enable your microphone. You can always turn it off again when you’re done.
facebook logo.
(Reuters photo)
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Stop voice assistant
It’s well known that you can say something that sounds like your wake word and your virtual assistant can pick up snippets of your private conversations. A study outlines 1,000 phrases that trip Alexa, Siri, Cortana, and Google.
If you’re worried about your gadget’s always-on mic, here are the steps to turn it off. Just know that you’re trading privacy for convenience.
amazon echo
- On your Echo device, look for a button that looks like a microphone or a circle with a line through it.
- Press the button. This prevents the device from passing voltage inside the microphone.
- Press the button again to use Alexa. You can always turn off the mic when not in use or during private conversations.
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Siri
- open setting apps on your iPhone.scroll down and tap Siri & Search.
- Toggle the green switch next to “Listen to ‘Hey Siri’.” off position.
- can also turn off [ロック時に Siri を許可]Select to prevent Siri from activating when the button is pressed while in your pocket.
The new AirPods feature the convenience of “Hey Siri,” making it easy to change songs, make calls, adjust volume and find directions.
(Apple)
Google Assistant
For Android:
- open setting Select an app, then app.
- [一般]and, assistantthen See all Assistant settings.
- From here you can click the toggle to turn it on off “Hey Google.”
For iOS:
- open setting app.scroll down and tap Privacy and security.
- Find the menu labeled microphone Tap.
- Find Google Assistant in your list of apps and press the green switch off position.
Cortana for Windows 10
- click start menu buttonthen setting.
- click privacy > voice activation.
- find microphone Click it in the left panel.
- Scroll down to Cortana and change Microphone permissions to off.
Cortana for Windows 11
- click start menu buttonthen setting.
- click Privacy and security > voice activation.
- [アプリに音声アクティベーション サービスへのアクセスを許可する]under the disable cortana.
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Smart security systems also listen
Even home security devices have microphones that are always listening. You can disable voice recording on two popular home security devices: Google Nest and Amazon Ring.
Google Nest
- open nest Select the app on your smartphone, camera on the home screen.
- Tap setting.
- select microphoneThen tap the switch to turn it on off.
amazon ring
- open ring Open the app and select the device you want to mute.
- Tap Device settings followed by video settings.
- Tap the Audio Streaming and Recording toggle to turn it on off microphone.
A Nest Learning Thermostat displaying the Google logo on a smart home in Lafayette, CA on January 17, 2021.
(Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)
your smart tv
If you don’t want your smart TV to hear you or scan your channel surfing history, check out our step-by-step guide to disabling these features on Samsung, VIZIO, LG, and more TVs. Please give me.
Tap or click here for the easiest way to stop tracking your smart TV
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