I received an email and a notification from Alexa telling me that a battery in one of my devices is running low, with a link to order it from Amazon.
I have an Amazon account and the Amazon App, but I don't have Alexa or the Alexa App. I never asked for this "service" nor did I ever permit this data sharing. I've used both the Amazon App and SmartThings for years and never received such notification. I've made no changes to my settings.
How do I restrict all data sharing from SmartThings to AWS? I have zero interest in this level of automation and privacy intrusion.
I am becoming quite tired of my devices, which I've paid for, being held hostage for ransom of a continuous stream of my private information.
It's a Phillips Hue dimmer switch, which the email indicates, "[I] connected to Alexa on 6/9/24". The device has been integrated with SmartThings for years and I've made no changes, so I'm assuming either a SmartThings or Amazon update is responsible for that connection to Alexa occurring in June. I have never even attempted to use Alexa, so this is an unwelcome overreach for "convenience" I never asked for and don't want.
Is it possible it was a spoof email? Was the battery, in fact, running low? It is very odd to get a notification like that. I have an Alexa device, and I don't get notifications like that, and I certainly wouldn't get it by email.
The email is genuine. I received a matching phone notification from Amazon as well. The battery is indeed running low. The only notification(s) I should be getting is from SmartThings and/or Phillips Hue (my Hue Hub is integrated with my SmartThings Hub). Amazon should not be monitoring the IoT on my private network. I don't have an Alexa Device, I don't have the Alexa App, and I never enrolled in an Alexa service.
That is odd. You might have to check your connected devices in Amazon and disengage it from there. It could also be that Philips/Hue had and update and now partners with Alexa - it still should not connect you to a service you do not have. You shouldn't be so quick to put the fault on Samsung or Smart Things when there is another entity involved. Could be any or all or them, but you specifically left out Hue.
Thank you! I went to Devices in the Amazon App and found an entry for Alexa showing it was registered to my phone. It looks like Amazon had been leveraging that to get access to my SmartThings Hub, which I was never asked about and certainly didn't give an ok to on either Amazon or SmartThings. I deregistered it and hopefully that terminated the data sharing.
This stuff is becoming ridiculous. I purchased a product and a service, I didn't invite these companies and their friends into my home. I really hope more people start pushing back on these companys' intrusiveness.
@xpertxpert Doing a quick search in the SmartThings community (https://community.smartthings.com/), it looks like SmartThings uses the AWS services. You may want to post your question over there.
