So , I felt this was kind of interesting. I happened to get an Amazon echo for free that been in it’s box for a year. Now I was renovating and had no dum radio /speakers / music available.

Ok lets try might be interesting at least.

Phone GOS no gapps , VPN .

Location EU country A. Both on VPN and irl.

Signup: Fake email , name address, detail and phone number.

Amazon echo extra permissions none, all privacy settings checked. Resettled ad id

Router , 4g teltonika using a sim card from EU country B.

Got it set up and set location to the next town over for local weather updates.

Set language to English / country A

Connected a new Spotify account also same setup fake number fake details.

Played some Spotify. Checked the weather all good.

Morning after l, moved it to a different outlet.

Spotify deactivated " service not available at your location" weather updates still have same town.

Ok lets check some radio , got it going.

Advertisement in country B language.

Curious how it’s done. I did speak country B language a bit around it but seems weird to base it on that alone ( none recorded in that language according to history)

  • AmbiguousProps@lemmy.today
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    22 hours ago

    I’m not sure how much they dig, but Alexa recently changed to do everything via cloud, including all recordings and voice processing. It’s definitely at least always listening and phoning home.

      • DeathsEmbrace@lemm.ee
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        21 hours ago

        It’s even worse once you realize LG remotes might’ve already been doing this on the down low. I don’t trust anything that has any form of connection/communications hardwired and unable to be turned off anymore.

  • catloaf@lemm.ee
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    21 hours ago

    Unless your whole router tunnels over a VPN, it probably geolocated you to country B.

    But geolocation databases are inaccurate, and sometimes advertisers target a large area. It might just be a guess.

    • bad_news@lemmy.billiam.net
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      21 hours ago

      Even then, the Alexa device has wifi and bluetooth. It’s common these days to use the wifi MAC and whatever the bluetooth equivalent is to resolve location sans GPS. If you don’t have all of the perfect optout_nomap_etc strings on your router SSIDs, they can use your own router MAC legally, even, and failing that (if they actually obey the law) they’ll just use your neighbor’s wifi MAC.