Calling all tech folks with Amazon devices in your house! You now have one week to opt out of a program that may put your private information at risk.
The shift will take effect on June 8 through the company’s program, Amazon Sidewalk, according to Ars Technica.
The tech company says Amazon Sidewalk is a low-bandwidth shared network that will allow your devices to work better while also helping locate lost items. The purpose is to help customer devices work better, both in and around your home.
How does this affect your internet, you may ask? If your device loses connectivity, it will switch to a neighbors signal to ensure service won’t be interrupted.
This means your Amazon Alexa, Echo, Ring doorbell, security cameras and Tile trackers will be included in this new program.
On its website, Amazon says, “As a crowdsourced, community benefit, Amazon Sidewalk is only as powerful as the trust our customers place in us to safeguard customer data.”
If you don’t want your Amazon device to share your internet, here’s how you opt-out:
- Open the Alexa app
- Open “More” and select “Settings”
- Select “Account Settings”
- Select “Amazon Sidewalk”
- Disable “Amazon Sidewalk”
Users won’t be able to opt out of Amazon Sidewalk from their online account. You will need to install the Alexa app on your mobile device if you don’t already have it.