Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos.
Shannon Stapleton/Reuters
Amazon on Tuesday will launch Sidewalk, a network connecting Alexa and Ring devices. Privacy experts told Insider the network raised concerns about customer data and privacy. They highlighted the prospect of potential data leaks and the implications of location tracking. See more stories on Insider’s business page.
As Amazon prepares to launch its Sidewalk network on Tuesday, privacy and tech experts are discussing whether customers should be worried about their Alexa devices being linked to those owned by neighbors.
“It’s only a matter of time before personal information is leaked from these devices,” Eric Null, US policy manager and global policy counsel of Access Now, told Insider on Friday.
The Sidewalk network will connect eligible Alexa and Ring devices to others nearby, including those owned by strangers. The connections will expand home-broadband networks and strengthen connectivity, Amazon said.
If one WiFi network slows down, a neighboring network might help boost its speed. Amazon said it would encrypt data sent between devices.
After Amazon announced Sidewalk in 2019, the company faced a backlash from some in the tech world