Associated Incidents
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A newsreader sparked mayhem by accidentally telling Amazon Echo devices to buy dollhouses during a TV bulletin.
The devices, responding to the name Alexa, automatically turn on when they are spoken to and can carry out tasks such as ordering grocery shopping or checking the weather.
But US presenter Jim Patton caused havoc while discussing an incident where a little girl inadvertently ordered a £140 dollhouse through the device.
Brooke Neitzel, six, had asked her electronic assistant: “Can you play dollhouse with me and get me a dollhouse?'
The device then ordered a KidKraft Sparkle mansion dollhouse as well as four pounds of cookies - to the surprise of Brooke’s mother.
When Mr Patton recounted the story on air, he said: “I love the little girl saying ‘Alexa ordered me a dollhouse’”
Stunned viewers then realised their devices had picked up on his voice and also ordered the toy, local media reported.
Although the devise recognises its name, it does not differentiate between voices so any command beginning with “Alexa” will be picked up.
This recent revelation sparked security concerns around the gadgets.
Stephen Cobb, a senior security researcher, told TV station CW6: “These devices don't recognize your specific voice and so then we have the situations where you have a guest staying or you have a child who is talking and accidentally order something because the device isn't aware that it's a child versus a parent.
“Down the road the technology will be more sophisticated where it will be able to identify certain individuals and register people can access it.”
He said the Federal Trade Commission was ensuring the voice-command devices were safe and secure.
The Standard has contacted Amazon for comment.