Alexa is at it again - tells kid to touch live current (1 Viewer)

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Linda

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I have an Alexa Dot so I can talk to a friend who is disabled. When not in use, it sits in a drawer because I don't trust it. I know many people who have one and some who got one for their children. Like most tech stuff, I see some value - and - like most tech stuff, I see the pitfalls. This story is a whopper.

There is a Tik-Tok thing going around about a penny challenge - so something with a penny. A little girl asked Alexa for a challenge and this is what she got. Fortunately, her mom was there to intervene.

The Echo smart speaker Alexa responded to the 10-year-old child with a "challenge to do" that said, "plug in a phone charger about halfway into a wall outlet, then touch a penny to the exposed prongs."

Of course this was an anomaly and the algorithms have been adjusted - so no worries - sure....

On Wednesday, an Amazon spokesperson told CNBC that an error within Alexa has been fixed.
The dangerous activity, known as "the penny challenge," began on TikTok and other social media platforms about a year ago. The outcome of the challenge could be potentially life-threatening.
Twitter users who responded to Livdahl's tweet were shocked about Alexa's recommendation.
One person said, "There is literally no reason to have an "Alexa" in your house. This should tell you that if it wasn't already obvious."
"Clearly AMZN's algorithm realized that by suggesting this challenge customers will later have to buy a lot of stuff to replace everything after the house burned down," another person said.
 

Snowmelt

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That sounds like the deep darkness of somebody's fantasy. I'm sorry, but robots can be programmed.
 
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Linda

Linda

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I was opposed from the beginning just on the privacy and info collection basis, but this is evil.
 
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Linda

Linda

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Neither does she feel joy or kindness - like being pleased the child is safe.
In other words, wake up people - you've entrusted some of your parenting to this box of who knows what.
 
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