Spotify launch of a voice assistant has raised privacy issues, and the company is trying to tackle some of them head-on. The streaming music giant has sketch learn more about how “Hey Spotify” works, including how it listens and uses your data. For starters, Spotify pointed out that the voice assistant is strictly optional – you have to turn it on, and you can turn it off whenever you want.
The company also insisted that the assistant doesn’t record everything you say. It only starts capturing voice data when you say the wake-up word or press the action button, and stops when the request is processed. There will always be an audio visual signal built into the app, such as the tone emitted during voice activated ads. The Spotify app listens for the wake-up word in “snippets of seconds,” but those are deleted if you don’t say the right words.
However, you might not be happy with where your data is going. Spotify said in a FAQ that it used the data not only to improve voice functionality and develop functionality, but also to deliver “more relevant” (ie targeted) advertising. It won’t matter much if you’re a Premium subscriber, but it’s worth noting if you prefer tighter control over your data. Spotify added that it shares certain information with cloud storage providers and other partners when needed for Spotify to work.
Details come shortly after reviews like Access Now concerned about a recently granted Spotify speech recognition patent. The invention would allow Spotify to detect details such as age, gender, accents and even your “emotional state”. In theory, Spotify could use it to profile you or manipulate your emotions. This is only a patent and it is not guaranteed to achieve a product, but it is clear that Spotify could use features like the voice assistant (unveiled after the initial review) to do a lot more. than queue up your favorite songs.
