Posted by Attorney at Work recently published “Tech Tips and Takeaways from ABA TECHSHOW 2019,” featuring a tip from the Chicago Bar’s own Practice Management Advisor, Anne Haag. Also featuring advice from Sheila Blackford of Oregon State Bar, Jim Calloway of the Oklahoma Bar Association, and Sharon Nelson of Sensei Enterprises, the article provides valuable insight into the biggest issues on display at this year’s TECHSHOW. To see all of their takeaways, click here!
From Anne:
“My biggest TECHSHOW takeaway this year? Get rid of your Alexa (or other comparable devices)! I wasn’t a fan of the smart speaker/virtual assistant hardware wave to begin with, but after attending Ian Hu and Catherine Sanders Reach’s presentation, ‘What the Internet Knows About You and Your Clients,’ I can count myself out for good. I was previously unaware that Amazon records every single interaction you have with your Alexa. This is not just a transcript of the interaction, it’s an actual recording of your voice. That’s right — Amazon has a large data cache of your voice, inflections and all, just sitting on their servers. Will they use this information? I can’t predict that, but I’m not quick to trust Amazon (or any other massive tech corporation) to act on good faith. And this doesn’t even begin to address the potential for errors or the fact that your Alexa is always listening.
Not convinced? Consider the anecdote about a couple whose private conversation Alexa recorded, then sent out to a contact after mistaking words in the background conversation for commands. That’s embarrassing enough for anyone, but imagine the risk where client information is concerned! Consider that a warning that should be heeded.”
Anne Haag is a Practice Management Advisor at the Chicago Bar Association. Anne worked as a patent paralegal at a Chicago IP firm before arriving at the CBA in 2017 as the Law Practice Management and Technology department’s trainer/coordinator. She is also a certified crisis counselor and volunteers as a patient advocate in the ER.