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Amazon’s new Echo device is programmed to respond to voice commands whenever it hears the word, ‘Alexa’ – and this can lead to disaster.
A newsreader in San Diego said, ‘Alexa, order me a dollhouse’ on air – while reporting on an incident where a young girl had bought a doll’s house by talking to the speaker.
Viewers reported that their own Amazon Echo devices heard the voice command – and bought them doll’s houses, too.
San Diego TV news anchor Jim Patton said, ‘I love the little girl saying, ”I love the little girl saying, ‘Alexa order me a dollhouse,’ while reporting an incident in which a young girl managed to order a £140 doll’s house.
CW-6 reported that the little girl had said, ‘Can you play dollhouse with me and get me a dollhouse?’
But viewers called in to say that their own devices had ordered the doll’s house, too.
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Users can protect their devices with a four-digit code to prevent accidental orders – and cancel orders via their Amazon account.
Amazon has yet to comment.