Have you noticed something fishy about how your friendly neighborhood smart speaker, Amazon Alexa, has been chatting about politics lately? If you’re scratching your head wondering why Alexa’s got a sweet spot for Kamala Harris while giving the cold shoulder to Donald Trump, you’re not alone.
Let’s break it down, huh? Recently, Fox News Digital did a little digging and discovered that Alexa seemed quite chatty when asked about why someone should vote for Democrat Kamala Harris, showering her with praises for being a “woman of color” who fights against racial injustice. But toss a question about Trump into the mix? Suddenly, Alexa clams up, claiming she “cannot promote content that supports a certain political party or a specific politician.”
Now, ain’t that a bit odd? It seems like Alexa’s got a bug, but not the kind you squish—more like a bug of bias. When the folks at Amazon were nudged about this, they admitted to an “error” that was apparently fixed post-haste. But this little glitch raises a massive red flag about big tech’s power in politics.
First off, let’s talk about big tech bias. It’s no secret that companies like Amazon might lean a tad left, but when your smart speaker starts picking political sides, it’s a slippery slope, folks. The fact that Alexa could give detailed reasons to vote for Harris and then zip her digital lips when Trump’s name comes up doesn’t sit right. Is this not censorship through the back door?
Moving onto the spicier meatball—conspiracy theories. Some say it’s not just a bug but a feature of a grand plan where big tech colludes with the Dems to keep the conservative voices hushed. Now, while Alexa might just be a bundle of wires and codes, who programs those wires? Humans, right? And those humans have agendas. If 70% of tech company donations find their way into Democratic coffers, as reported, can we really say our tech is neutral?
Lastly, this brings us to the big question of election interference. If a smart speaker can sway a voter by promoting one candidate over another, that’s a form of interference, plain and simple. It’s like having a mini-campaigner on your kitchen counter. Imagine, 50 million Alexa devices pushing the same political agenda—sounds like a recipe for swaying public opinion to me!
So, what’s the take-home message here? Next time you chat with Alexa, take her political insights with a pinch of salt—or maybe just switch her off and read a newspaper. After all, when tech starts playing politics, it’s our cue to keep our ears perked and eyes wide open. And hey, keeping big tech in check? That’s just common sense, not conspiracy.