Alexa vs. Siri: Keeping Your Smart Home Private
Smart home devices like Amazon Alexa and Apple Siri can make life much easier, but they also raise important questions about privacy. If you're not super tech-savvy (and that's totally okay!), here's a simple breakdown of what you need to know.
Listening In: Alexa vs. Siri
Alexa and Siri both listen for their wake words (like "Alexa" or "Hey Siri"). Alexa tends to send more of your data to the cloud, especially after recent changes, meaning more of your conversations might be stored online.
Siri tries to keep more of the processing directly on your device, which means fewer of your conversations leave your home.
Storing Your Data
Alexa keeps recordings connected directly to your Amazon account, and recent updates have limited your ability to stop recordings from being stored online.
Siri keeps your data anonymous, making it much harder for anyone to connect conversations directly back to you. Apple also doesn't use Siri data to target you with ads.
People Listening In?
Both Alexa and Siri have humans occasionally review recordings to make their services better. Alexa often lets these reviews happen unless you actively stop it, whereas Siri now requires your permission upfront.
Ads and Your Info
Alexa is more likely to use your interactions to show personalized ads, while Siri avoids doing this altogether, keeping your info more private.
Accidental Recordings
Both devices can sometimes misunderstand background conversations as commands. Alexa has had some high-profile issues accidentally recording and even sharing conversations, whereas Siri has fewer reported problems.
Quick Tips to Stay Private
With Alexa: Regularly delete your voice recordings in the Alexa app, limit voice features you don’t need, and avoid placing Alexa devices in bedrooms or sensitive spaces.
With Siri: You can turn off the “Hey Siri” feature entirely, clear your history regularly, and skip participating in Apple's review program to increase your privacy.
Picking the Best Assistant for You
Alexa has lots of features and integrations, but Siri might be better if privacy is a bigger concern for you, especially for families.
Personally, I haven't completely broken up with Amazon—it's tough because their devices have become such a big part of my life. But honestly, I've noticed Amazon now has way more access to my phone, my house, and even my family than I'd prefer. I am systematically correcting that now.
If you're feeling overwhelmed by all these tech choices, remember that's exactly why I'm here! Reach out if you have questions or want help making your digital world simpler and safer.
