Oh my gosh! The Government is spying on us! I think not. My personal opinion is that the paranoia associated with Alexa, or any other device is unfounded. Yes, if you mention key words associated with terrorism it MAY get picked up by devices that are designed to monitor for those key words, but there has to be a reason why any individual device would be targeted. JMHO
There is nothing I do in life that would require any agency to investigate me. So in that light, if they want to monitor me then let them do so...but it is just not done.
I retired from NASA as an Information Security Specialist, an prior to that I was in Communication Security and had an association with other agencies and I am not worried at all
I have Alexa hub and several Echo Dots in the house. I have friends and family that have the same. I can say to Alexa, "Drop in on (brother)" and it will drop in on their Alexa but only if they have previously allowed me to do it.
I'd like to have some specifics on any agency knocking down doors without a reasonable cause, or someone SWATTING a person.
Has anyone ever wondered how your phone number, email, etc., is acquired? Fill in a survey on-line, or just visit some sites, like a car dealer, and then you start getting calls. I'm more worried about what is happening to security on the Internet than any smart device I have in my home or on my person. My life is boring.
p.s., Government listening devices have been going on since the 60's and probably even earlier. Here is a good read for anyone interested.
ECHELON