Hands-On Tech 202: Stop Devices from Listening for Keyword Activations - All TWiT.tv Shows (Audio)

Summary

Hands-On Tech 202: Stop Devices from Listening for Keyword Activations
Released on February 9, 2025

Introduction

In the February 9, 2025 episode of Hands-On Tech, hosted by Micah Sargent, the discussion centers on a prevalent concern among technology users: preventing devices from incessantly listening for keyword activations. This episode delves into the mechanics of how devices like Apple's Siri operate, addresses user apprehensions about privacy, and provides actionable steps to disable these listening features.

Understanding Keyword Activation

Micah Sargent begins by addressing Glenn's pressing question: "How do I turn off Apple from listening to what's going on in a room?" (01:54). Glenn's concern isn't about devices eavesdropping for advertising purposes but rather the unsettling feeling of being monitored without explicit consent. He describes his setup, which includes a Mac Studio, MacBook Pro, Apple Studio Display, and HomePods, where unintended activations trigger unsolicited responses from Siri.

To demystify the technology, Sargent employs an engaging analogy: “I like to imagine that the way that these keyword phrases work, it's almost like one of those toddler puzzle games... Only the square, the triangle, and the circle work.” (02:30). This comparison illustrates that devices aren't actively listening to everything but are programmed to detect specific "keyword triggers" amidst a sea of ambient sounds. When these keywords align correctly, the device activates, much like fitting the right shapes into a puzzle.

Addressing User Concerns

Sargent acknowledges the "creepiness factor" users like Glenn experience. He reassures listeners that, contrary to fears, devices are not transmitting all heard data to external servers. Instead, the keyword detection process is handled locally on the device. “It's not that actively. There's a connection between you and Apple somewhere on some server and it is listening to everything that's happening in the room...” (04:15). This clarification aims to alleviate concerns about potential privacy infringements.

Disabling Listening on Apple Devices

For users intent on disabling this feature, Sargent provides a clear, step-by-step guide:

Accessing Settings: Launch the Home app on your Apple device.
Selecting the Room: Navigate to the specific room where the HomePod is located, such as the office.
Modifying Accessory Settings: Tap and hold the HomePod, then select Accessory Settings.
Turning Off Siri Activation: Scroll to the Siri section and toggle off "Listen for Siri" or "Hey Siri".

“I have it turned off on my Mac because I never use Siri on my Mac and that's as simple as launching the system settings app...” (06:45).

Additionally, Sargent mentions that users can choose to retain manual access to Siri through the "Touch and Hold for Siri" option, allowing for occasional use without the device actively listening for keywords.

Comparisons to Other Devices

Expanding the discussion beyond Apple products, Sargent touches upon Amazon's Echo devices. He highlights a significant difference: “Amazon on almost all of its own devices makes this much simpler because you will find a physical hardware button or switch that will disable the microphone entirely...” (09:15). This hardware-based solution offers a tangible way to ensure microphones are not active, contrasting with Apple’s software-centric approach.

Additional Considerations

Sargent emphasizes that while disabling keyword activation enhances privacy, it also limits the convenience of voice-activated assistance. Users must balance their need for privacy with the functionality offered by these smart devices. Additionally, he briefly touches upon other devices that may have similar listening features, encouraging listeners to explore settings or hardware switches to manage their privacy preferences effectively.

Conclusion

The episode effectively demystifies the operation of keyword activation in smart devices, providing both reassurance and practical solutions for users concerned about privacy. By breaking down complex technological concepts into relatable analogies and offering clear instructions, Micah Sargent equips listeners with the knowledge to take control of their device settings. This episode serves as a valuable resource for anyone looking to enhance their privacy in an increasingly connected world.

Notable Quotes

“I like to imagine that the way that these keyword phrases work, it's almost like one of those toddler puzzle games...” — Micah Sargent (02:30)
“It's not that actively. There's a connection between you and Apple somewhere on some server and it is listening to everything that's happening in the room...” — Micah Sargent (04:15)
“Amazon on almost all of its own devices makes this much simpler because you will find a physical hardware button or switch that will disable the microphone entirely...” — Micah Sargent (09:15)

Transcript

Micah Sargent (0:00)

Coming up on Hands on Tech, let's take a look at how we can stop our devices from listening to us. And no, this isn't the thing about devices listening to us to service ads. Don't worry, stay tuned. You'll hear more about it in a moment.

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Micah Sargent (1:54)

Hello and welcome to Hands on Tech. I am Micah Sargent and today we are taking a look at another tech question. This one comes in from Glenn. Glenn writes, how do I turn off Apple from listening to what's going on in a room? In this case my office. It's creepy. In my office I have a Mac studio for photography work plus a MacBook Pro with a lid closed with an Apple Studio display plus two recently purchased home pods. Quite often I'm working on one of the two systems with a YouTube video Mac break weekly. That's what they have in parentheses. Glenn has in parentheses running in the background. And suddenly from my home pods I'll get I found some web results I can show you if you request from your iPhone. Besides the annoyance factor, it's the fact that I'm being listened to without my knowledge. So what is the best way to prevent it from listening? Is there perhaps an app for that? I very rarely use Siri. It's just not that good. I mostly use Google Chrome or Ch. Glenn, first and foremost, I want to give you some assurance here when the. Let me say this too. I don't want to dismiss your. The creepiness factor. If you're feeling like it's creepy for you, totally understand. I do want to explain the technology to maybe give you some reassurance that it's not doing maybe what you might expect that it's doing. I like to imagine that the way that these keyword phrases work, it's almost like one of those toddler puzzle games. You know, you get the wooden table kind of a thing, and it's got a square and a triangle and a circle in the top of it, right? And you have all of these different blocks, and you are trying to shove all the blocks in, and only the square, the triangle, and the circle work. Imagine that you've got this kind of positioned in a. I don't know, on a. On a conveyor belt, right? And you have thousands and thousands of blocks that are coming along on the conveyor belt and rolling over the top of that toddler block puzzle. And as those thousands and thousands of words go over, only when the square, the triangle, and the circle fall into place does that toddler puzzle actually, in this case, Siri, actually activate. So it is not actively listening in the sense that it's trying to pull in everything that you say. And in particular, it is not doing anything with everything that you say. It's not off somewhere. It's not anything like that. Instead, there's like a little toddler block puzzle inside, and it's just waiting for those to fall right into place. And then it goes, oh, you're talking to me now. Sometimes, annoyingly, it misunderstands because maybe there's a. It's. It's a circle, but it's small enough that it fits inside of the square, or there's a square, but it's small enough that it fits inside of the middle of the triangle. And then there's a. I don't know, a trapezoid. But again, it's small enough that it fits inside of the circle. And so that is akin to when it thinks that you are saying the keyword phrase, but you're not actually saying the keyword phrase. That is kind of what's happening there. So it's not that actively. There's a connection between you and Apple somewhere on some server and it is listening to everything that's happening in the room and pulling that information and putting it somewhere else. No, it doesn't have, it doesn't want that information. It doesn't have that information. It is simply on device locally waiting for those blocks to fall into place and then it activates again. Though that doesn't mean that you shouldn't feel, you know, bothered by it. If you are if you feel bothered by it, even though it's not pulling that information and putting it somewhere else, even though it's just happening locally on device. Totally understandable. And it is a thing that you can turn off. I I have it turned off on my Mac because I never use Siri on my Mac and that's as simple as launching the system settings app on the Mac using Apple Intelligence and Siri. And under Siri requests there's an option that says listen for and you simply choose off. And so my Mac never is accidentally activating for Siri some of my other devices. Yes, because they are listening. But let's take a look at how to because it sounds like the home pods are your main issue. How do we go about disabling that?