SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
Smart Device Breaks Up Domestic Dispute By Calling the Police
According to ABC News, officers were called to a home outside Albuquerque, New Mexico this week when a smart device called 911 and the operator heard a confrontation in the background. Police say that Eduardo Barros was house-sitting at the residence with his girlfriend and their daughter. Barros allegedly pulled a gun on his girlfriend when they got into an argument and asked her: "Did you call the sheriffs?" A smart device in the home apparently heard "call the sheriffs," and proceeded to call the sheriffs.
takyon: A version of the story incorrectly named Google Home as the smart device. Police say that Amazon's Alexa called 911, which it can't do:
It appears the finer points of the amazing technology were lost on the sheriff's detective who filed the warrant, describing himself as the affiant. "Alexis which Affiant knows to be a Google Smart Radio, heard 'call Sheriff's,' Det. Cameron Carroll wrote. "Alexis the radio then called 911.'"
The department's grasp of technology was further called into question when Amazon told Buzzfeed that Alexa can't call 911. "Alexa calling and messaging does not support 911 calls," a company representative told the news site. The words 'call the sheriff' would not lead Alexa to call the cops, the representative said.
(Score: 2) by vux984 on Tuesday July 11 2017, @10:10PM
That was very different. Burger King deliberately went out of there way to include a properly issued Alexa command phrase "Alexa, tell me about the Burger King Whopper" or whatever it was. It was no accident. And its very easy to understand how it played out from there.
This is quite different. Allegedly Alexa interpreted 'call the sheriff' as 'call 911' which is odd by itself; but it further misinterpreted that it was issued a command at all... AND the people in the home didn't hear alexa acknowledge a command, and didn't hear the 911 operator come on the line... all technically possible... but quite unlikely.