Runaway Science

Is technology running amok or is it serving as a helping hand? Is it a threat or a benefit? Runaway Science: True Stories of Raging Robots and Hi-Tech Horrors presents the ominous, and some encouraging, stories of how technology has shaped our past and might shape our future. It dives into the question of mankind’s future. An exhilarating and troubling read, it looks at whether robots and technology are a threat or a boon to humanity. Its investigations include …

Imagine if you could have a highly advanced piece of technology in your very own home; technology that will answer questions, give you weather updates, set your morning alarm, interact with you, and even listen to you – every single minute of every single day of every single year. Certainly, matters relative to the likes of the weather and your alarm are no big deal. But a device that eavesdrops on every word spoken in the family home? It sounds like the worst nightmare possible. And, yet, countless numbers of people have already embraced this creepy technology, unaware of the potential violations of privacy that it offers. Or, worse still, not even caring about the ways in which their private lives are being opened up to the likes of the Intelligence community. Welcome to the world of what are known as Amazon Echo and Alexa.

It was almost a decade ago when Amazon first began thinking about creating something along the lines of smart technology that could interact with people and how it might benefit the public. Much of the research and development was undertaken in the heart of Silicon Valley, California.

Of course, and as is so often the case with such technology, there is a significant possibility of it being ruthlessly manipulated by those who wish to learn who we are speaking to, what we are doing – and even the content of the conversations that go on in our living-rooms, kitchens, bedrooms; in fact, just about everywhere. It sounds like something straight out of a paranoia-filled novel. It’s not: it’s all too real and it’s a phenomenon that is growing by the minute.

In simple terms, Amazon Echo is what is termed a “smart speaker,” one which is hooked up to the Internet. When you are within range of the device, you can ask it questions: “Who were the Beatles?” “What happened at Pearl Harbor in 1941?” “Who shot JFK?” And, in quick time fashion, you will have your questions answered. But who or what is providing the answers? That’s where things get even creepier. Say “hello” to Alexa, a Net-based personal assistant, who can multi-task to degrees that would be impossible for a human being to achieve. That’s right: Alexa is not a person at the other end of the speaker. Alexa is smart technology taken to the – so far – ultimate degree. Alexa will respond not just to her name, but also to such words as “Computer,” “Echo,” and “Amazon.” Most people, however, prefer to go with Alexa – which gives the ultimate multi-tasker a degree of personality and gives the user a feeling of interacting with something that is self-aware – which it may well soon become. If it hasn’t already to a degree.

It was in 2015 that Alexa was unleashed upon the public, specifically in the United States, and on June 23 of that year. Both Canada and the United Kingdom joined Alexa’s little club a year later. In theory, there is nothing at all wrong with you having Alexa answer those questions you need answering. But it doesn’t end there. And this is where things get as complicated as they do controversial. Let’s say, for example, that you direct Alexa to play the new song from your favorite band. Another family member does likewise. So does a third. And so on. When Alexa knows which particular music you each individually like, “she” can determine who is in the house just by listening in to what music is playing in the background. In other words, if your teenage daughter likes Taylor Swift, Alexa will understand that it’s your daughter in the house and not you. And all because your family has handed over all of its musical tastes to a smart device that is so smart it knows who is home and who isn’t. It gets stranger.

In 2018, the website Mysterious Universe stated the following: “In the latest case of weird Amazon Alexa stories, it’s been reported that friendly robot holds some views that aren’t, shall we say, accepted by the mainstream. Previously, the Amazon Echo Dot Alexa made headlines when it was creepily laughing at some of its owners. Now it seems like Alexa may be the world’s first AI [Artificial Intelligence] conspiracy theorist. When asked ‘Alexa, what are Chemtrails?’ Amazon’s ‘intelligent personal assistant’ responded by informing the unwitting user that chemtrails are nefarious chemical or biological agents sprayed into the atmosphere by the government. It seems somehow doubtful that Amazon programmed that little tidbit of information into their flagship smart-home intelligence.”

So, where did Alexa get her information on Chemtrails? Mysterious Universe state: “Since this story broke, Amazon’s been quiet on how Alexa came up with this answer, saying it was a bug, and quickly announcing they had fixed it. Now, the Amazon Echo Dot Alexa gives the definition of ‘contrail’ when asked what chemtrails are.” What we have here is a case of Alexa using machine-learning algorithms – learning, in essence – and providing answers to questions that should not be in the Echo database. It gets more chilling: in January 2018, Amazon’s Vice-President, Marc Whitten, spoke at the Consumer Electronics Show :He said: “Rolling in things like Alexa, one of the things that we’ve been learning is that it’s not even just necessarily about the facts. One of the big things we’re doing with Alexa is making sure that she has opinions. What does Alexa think is something that’s a good thing to watch?”

Letting Alexa decide what shows we watch? What movies? And Amazon thinks this is a good idea? Now, let’s take a look at how Alexa almost became a witness to a murder – albeit in a very strange, alternative and almost unbelievable fashion.

In February 2016, a man named James Bates, of Bentonville, Arkansas, was charged with the murder of one Victor Collins, found dead in his hot tub. There’s no doubt that Collins drowned. The big question was: had Collins died accidentally or was it a case of cold-blooded murder? Bates said that he woke up to find Collins dead. Investigators, though, suspected that Collins had been strangled and drowned. The case was taken to a whole new level when it was realized that Bates owned his very own Amazon Echo. Was Alexa about to spill the beans? After all, the one thing that Alexa does better than anything else is to monitor and even record the conversations of the owners and the users. It didn’t take the local police long at all to approach Amazon – with a warrant, no less - and request access to Bates’ Echo. This was new and uncharted territory and quickly captured the attention of the media.

Amazon agreed to provide the police with a “record of transactions” but refused to give them any relevant “audio data.” Amazon stated: “Given the important First Amendment and privacy implications at stake, the warrant should be quashed unless the Court finds that the State has met its heightened burden for compelled production of such material.”

Ultimately, charges against Bates were dropped. The affair was highly instructive and revealing, though, in terms of how, in the future, devices like Echo may well play a role – and even perhaps a key and integral role – in what goes on behind closed doors.

In 2018, The Verge brought up the important issue of to what extent the National Security Agency might be able to access the likes of Amazon Echo. The Verge’s Russell Brandom said: “The NSA has always had broad access to US phone infrastructure, something driven home by the early Snowden documents, but the last few years have seen an explosion of voice assistants like the Amazon Echo and Google Home, each of which floods more voice audio into the cloud where it could be vulnerable to NSA interception. And if so, are Google and Amazon doing enough to protect users?”

It’s a question that, as technology advances even further, will be at the forefront of matters relative to the right to privacy versus what government agencies believe they have the right to do in the name of national security.

It’s important to note that Alexa is not alone. There’s also Siri. As Pocket-lint explain: “Siri is a built-in, voice-controlled personal assistant available for Apple users. The idea is that you talk to her as you would a friend and she aims to help you get things done, whether that be making a dinner reservation or sending a message.

“Siri is designed to offer you a seamless way of interacting with your iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Apple Watch, HomePod or Mac by you speaking to her and her speaking back to you to find or do what you need. You can ask her questions, tell her to show you something or issue her with commands for her to execute on your behalf, hands-free.

“Siri has access to every other built-in application on your Apple device - Mail, Contacts, Messages, Maps, Safari and so on - and will call upon those apps to present data or search through their databases whenever she needs to. Ultimately, Siri does all the legwork for you.”

That sounds great, right? Well, sometimes, yes. But not always. There’s an even darker side to the world of what are now known as Digital Assistants, as The Conversation state:

“Digital assistants can record our conversations, images and many other pieces of sensitive personal information, including location via our smartphones. They use our data for machine learning to improve themselves over time. Their software is developed and maintained by companies that are constantly thinking of new ways to collect and use our data.

“Similar to other computer programs, the fundamental issue with these digital assistants is that they are vulnerable to technical and process failures. Digital assistants can also be hacked remotely, resulting in breaches of users’ privacy.

“For example, an Oregon couple had to unplug their Alexa device, Amazon’s virtual assistant, as their private conversation was recorded and sent to one of their friends on their contact list.

In another incident, a German man accidentally received access to 1,700 Alexa audio files belonging to a complete stranger. The files revealed the person’s name, habits, jobs and other sensitive information.”

A grave new world? Possibly.