Privacy Tech-Know Blog: Let me virtually assist you
The way we interact with our digital devices has evolved over time: from specific commands in command line interfaces, to graphical user interfaces (GUIs), to touch-based interfaces. Virtual assistants (VAs) are the next step in this evolution, and they present new privacy challenges. These assistants, such as Siri (Apple), Alexa (Amazon), Cortana (Microsoft), or simply ‘Google’, are designed to respond to your spoken or written commands and take some action. Such commands let you place phone calls, order a car service, book a calendar appointment, play music or buy goods.
The use of these assistants is on the rise: a 2015 Gartner study found that 38 per cent of Americans had used a virtual assistant in 2015 and that two-thirds of customers in developed markets would use them daily in 2016. The most commonly-used VAs are voice-based, however, much of the presented information also applies to text-based VAs.
Read the rest of this entry »