#003: What Happens When Amazon's Alexa Stops Asking for Permission

Haidt, author of The Anxious Generation, has been sounding the alarm about “phone-based childhood” for years. He points to overwhelming data showing that a major shift in the early 2010s led to skyrocketing mental health issues, disintegrating attention spans, and a growing loneliness epidemic among teens. He says the shift began around 2010, and everyone born in 1996 or later has felt the ripple effects.

The writer is a major advocate for “phone-free schools”, and based on recent happenings, he might be getting his way (See SECTION G3). He says schools that are phone-free (the whole day, not just during class) are hearing something they haven’t heard in years: laughter in the hallways.

In the interview, he reminds us that adults aren’t immune. Our focus and mental well-being are also at risk. He proposes that we take one day a week to disconnect entirely, rest our minds, and make space for deeper connections with ourselves and others.

What do you think… would you try a weekly Log Out Day?

Watch the full interview 📺

STALKERWARE BREACH EXPOSES THE WATCHED AND THE WATCHERS

Last June, SpyX, a company peddling stalkerware, suffered a data breach that exposed the personal details of nearly 2 million individuals, including about 17,000 Apple iCloud credentials (³). This incident only came to light recently, raising questions about the delayed disclosure. Some suspect the prolonged silence is because the breach exposed not only the SpyX users, but the people they were surveilling.

What is stalkerware, you ask?

Often marketed as tools for parental monitoring, these applications are frequently misused for unauthorized surveillance, earning them the unsettling moniker. So, will SpyX get in trouble? Maybe. No regulatory action has been taken yet, but the delayed disclosure, exposed victims, and sensitive data could still draw legal or government scrutiny.

READER TIP: Wanna check if you were involved in a breach?
Check haveibeenpwned.com 

AMAZON ALTERS ALEXA SETTINGS: WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOUR PRIVACY

If you’re anything like us, you never really loved the idea of a smart speaker listening to your every word. But the convenience of setting a kitchen timer with a voice command or playing our favorite Spotify playlists with a shout made it kind of worth it.

That might change for some privacy-conscious folks this month.

Starting March 28, Amazon is rolling back a key privacy feature on Echo devices (⁴). Previously, users could find these two options buried in the Alexa app and Echo device settings:

1. Do not send voice recordings: Prevents voice commands from being sent to Amazon's servers.

2. Do not save voice recordings: Stops recordings from being stored after processing.​

With the upcoming change, the first option will be removed, and all recorded voice commands will be sent to Amazon for processing. Additionally, choosing not to save voice recordings may limit certain Alexa features. ​

To clarify, everything Alexa hears after its wake word will automatically be sent to Amazon's cloud for processing and analysis starting March 28th. 

Still deciding whether to keep Echo in your home? We’ll quietly remind you of that 2019 report revealing Amazon employees listened to thousands of Alexa recordings as part of “quality assurance.”

Haidt’s wish for phone-free schools might soon become a reality for much of the U.S. Across the country, lawmakers are introducing legislation to limit or ban student cellphone use during the school day. The reasons are familiar: improved mental health, fewer distractions, and more in-person connection. Here's where things are picking up:

• Iowa passed a bill limiting student phone use to emergencies and school-approved educational purposes.

• North Carolina lawmakers advanced a proposal requiring all public schools to prohibit student cellphone use throughout the day.

• In Texas, a new bill would ban student cellphones at all public schools during school hours, including lunch and recess.

• Mayor Eric Adams calls for a district-wide phone ban in New York City, citing the key benefits of focus, safety, and face-to-face socialization.

It looks like one of the biggest experiments in digital wellness may be happening inside the classroom.

Other News:

• 🦊 Firefox Gets Weird, Then Walks It Back

  Mozilla faced backlash over its updated Firefox terms, which gave the company a sweeping license to use user-submitted content. Critics called this a “Big Tech move in disguise”. After the public outcry, Mozilla promised to rewrite the terms to scale things back and clarify what’s actually being collected— we kind of love that they listened.

• 📱 Colorado Takes On Platform Accountability

  A new bipartisan bill in Colorado (SB 25-086) would require social media companies to swiftly remove users and posts involved in illegal sales that violate platform policy or state law, within 24 to 72 hours of detection or notice. Platforms would also need to report how youth use their services to engage with potentially illegal or harmful content, and set up a law enforcement hotline to expedite warrant requests.

• 🧠 New Study Links Social Media to Distorted Thinking
  Researchers at Simon Fraser University say excessive social media use may amplify symptoms of certain mental health disorders. Their review found links to conditions like body dysmorphia, narcissism, and schizophrenia, coining the effect “Delusion Amplification by Social Media.”

NEW MICRO-EPISODE: WHY SIARA STARTED THE LOG OUT PODCAST

Thank you to everyone who tuned in to our season premiere with Arvind Narayanan last week. I wanted to take a moment to rewind and share why I started the Log Out podcast in the first place. 

Founded by a husband and wife duo, the app blends AI, coaching, and real-time translation to deliver somatic exercises that support long-term nervous system health. Active users report a 54 percent drop in stress after just one week!

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