That's such a cool idea!
Do you have a tutorial how to do that? I tried to search for one, but can't find any. The only answers on Reddit with the same question were basically "why do that" and "sell it and buy a new bluetooth speaker" or "block it with a firewall".
I have several lying around and with the upcoming AI debacle I'd like to remove Alexa completely and maybe use these speakers with Home Assistant if possible.
Mia’s Simulacrum 
@m@lgbtqia.spaceI have to throw out Alexa because it sends now data directly to the traitor nation.
So does anyone know a cheap self-hostet alternative to Alexas?
Like with voice activation yada yada.
You might as well throw your Echo and Alexa-powered devices in the trash like you should have done years ago.
Cory (@pluralistic) with a banger of a post:
https://pluralistic.net/2025/03/15/altering-the-deal/#telescreen
And this factoid:
"Congress hasn't passed a consumer #privacy law since 1988, when the Video Privacy Protection Act banned video store clerks from disclosing which VHS cassettes you brought home."
@Em0nM4stodon@infosec.exchangeAfter Amazon's news this week,
I feel the need to share this advice from my Privacy Guides article again:
Notify guests if you are
using a smart speaker 
If you are using a smart speaker device in your home such as Amazon's Echo (Alexa), Apple's HomePod (Siri), Google's Nest,
Inform your guests about it when they enter your home 
These devices have the capacity
to record all conversations, and there has already been instances of accidental privacy invasion reported about this 
Even if you don't mind yourself,
offer your guests to UNPLUG your smart speaker while they are visiting you 
Amazon streicht Datenschutz-Funktion bei #Echo-Lautsprechern: Ab Ende März werden alle Sprachbefehle zwangsweise in der Cloud verarbeitet - auch wenn Nutzer dies bisher deaktiviert hatten. #Alexa https://winfuture.de/news,149605.html?utm_source=Mastodon&utm_medium=ManualStatus&utm_campaign=SocialMedia
Starting on March 28, Echo users will no longer be able to set their devices to process Alexa requests locally and, therefore, avoid sending voice recordings to Amazon’s cloud. In other words, everything you say to your Echo will be sent to Amazon. @ArsTechnica reports:
@Chirael@infosec.exchange“Amazon annihilates Alexa privacy settings, turns on continuous, nonconsensual audio uploading”
https://pluralistic.net/2025/03/15/altering-the-deal/ #amazon #privacy #alexa from @pluralistic
@HistoPol@mastodon.social#Privacy #SurveillanceCapitalism #Amazon's #Alexa
(3/3)
... felony punishable by a five-year prison sentence and a $500,000 fine for a first offense."
//
Source:
https://pluralistic.net/2025/03/15/altering-the-deal/#telescreen
@HistoPol@mastodon.social#Privacy #SurveillanceCapitalism #Amazon's #Alexa
(2/n)
... for a copyrighted work:
https://pluralistic.net/2024/05/24/record-scratch/#autoenshittification
That means that once Amazon reaches over the air to stir up the guts of your Echo, no one is allowed to give you a tool that will let you get inside your Echo and change the software back. Sure, it's your property, but exercising sole and despotic dominion over it requires breaking the digital lock that controls access to the firmware, and that's a...
@HistoPol@mastodon.social#Privacy #SurveillanceCapitalism #Amazon's #Alexa
(1/3)
Amazon annihilates Alexa privacy settings, turns on continuous, nonconsensual audio uploading
Is this globally?
How e. g. in the EU.
US laws don't apply there.
"If the #Echo is your property, how come Amazon gets to break it? Because we passed a law that lets them. Section 1201 of 1998's #DigitalMillenniumCopyrightAct makes it a felony to "bypass an access control"...
https://pluralistic.net/2025/03/15/altering-the-deal/#telescreen
If you still use one of these devices, you might want to start looking into alternatives.
"In an email sent to customers today, Amazon said that Echo users will no longer be able to set their devices to process Alexa requests locally [...] Starting on March 28, recordings of everything command spoken to the Alexa living in Echo speakers and smart displays will automatically be sent to Amazon and processed in the cloud."
Everything you say to your Echo will be sent to #Amazon starting on March 28
"Since Amazon announced plans for a generative AI version of Alexa, we were concerned about user privacy. With Alexa+ rolling out to Amazon Echo devices in the coming weeks, we’re getting a clearer view at the privacy concessions people will have to make to maximize usage of the AI voice assistant and avoid bricking functionality of already-purchased devices.
In an email sent to customers today, Amazon said that Echo users will no longer be able to set their devices to process Alexa requests locally and, therefore, avoid sending voice recordings to Amazon’s cloud. Amazon apparently sent the email to users with “Do Not Send Voice Recordings” enabled on their Echo. Starting on March 28, recordings of everything spoken to the Alexa living in Echo speakers and smart displays will automatically be sent to Amazon and processed in the cloud."
'My wife asked why I carry a gun around the house.
I looked at her and said "Spyware". She laughed, I laughed, Alexa laughed, I shot Alexa, it was a good time."
#Amazon #spyware #Alexa #Echo #HomeAssistant
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/03/everything-you-say-to-your-echo-will-be-sent-to-amazon-starting-on-march-28/
@trashheap@tech.lgbtA lot of people are talking about throwing #Amazon #Echo devices in the trash this second; in my timeline.
We did this back in February.
Got to say the #HomeAssistant voice boxes are totally usable. A little dumber than Alexa sans a llm, but perfectly adequate if you are like us and mostly just turn smart plugs on and off and check the weather. #HomeAssistantVoice #AmazonEcho #Alexa #Floss
@techhelpkb@mastodon.socialIn an email sent to customers today, Amazon said that Echo users will no longer be able to set their devices to process Alexa requests locally and, therefore, avoid sending voice recordings to Amazon’s cloud.
#amazon #echo #alexa #cloud #privacy
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/03/everything-you-say-to-your-echo-will-be-sent-to-amazon-starting-on-march-28/
@artair@ohbear.wtfMight want to throw your #Alexa units in the trash before then.
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/03/everything-you-say-to-your-echo-will-be-sent-to-amazon-starting-on-march-28/?utm_brand=arstechnica&utm_social-type=owned&utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social
#AI #Privacy #Amazon
"Everything you say to your Echo will be sent to Amazon starting on March 28"
Ouch. The best place for these listening devices is in the garbage.
We're talking about the company controlled by a guy who sent money to Trump, changed the Washington Post into Republican propaganda.
You sure you want him to record what you say in private?
"Starting on March 28, recordings of everything spoken to the Alexa living in Echo speakers and smart displays will automatically be sent to Amazon and processed in the cloud."
Amazon plant "brandneue Reihe von Geräten" für den Herbst. CEO Andy Jassy verspricht KI-Integration und neue Hardware. Wird Alexa+ zum Gamechanger im Smart-Home-Markt? #Amazon #Alexa https://winfuture.de/news,149201.html?utm_source=Mastodon&utm_medium=ManualStatus&utm_campaign=SocialMedia
