Don't watch the news with your Alexa.
After airing a broadcast about a child ordering a $160 dollhouse through her family's Amazon Echo,Watch Weekend Sexcapades (2014) the San Diego station CW6 heard from viewers that their Amazon devices had done the same.
The mix-up happened when a TV anchor said, “I love the little girl, saying ‘Alexa ordered me a dollhouse,’" CW6 reported.
Alexas around San Diego listened and ordered dollhouses, according to the station.
It's been a busy few weeks for Alexa. The smart assistant recently tried to play porn to a child talking to an Amazon device.
Amazon has emphasized that there are ways to prevent mistakes like these from happening, including turning off the ability to purchase via voice only or requiring a confirmation code.
But even turning off Alexa can't totally protect you from accidental orders. A 6-year-old in Arkansas ordered herself $250 of Pokemon toys through her mom's regular Amazon account without needing Alexa at all.
UPDATE: Jan. 11, 2017, 5:42 p.m. EST
Amazon responded to this story with a statement on Wednesday.
"You must ask Alexa to order a product and then confirm the purchase with a 'yes' response to purchase via voice. If you asked Alexa to order something on accident, simply say 'no' when asked to confirm. You can also manage your shopping settings in the Alexa app, such as turning off voice purchasing or requiring a confirmation code before every order," an Amazon spokesperson said. "To learn more, go to Manage Voice Purchasing Settings. Additionally, orders you place for physical products are eligible for free returns."
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