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ARTICLE · 10 FEBRUARY 2017

What Do Brands Need To Know About Voice-Enabled Platforms And Devices? Part I: The Basics And A Few Privacy Issues

Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz PC
Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz PC
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Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz PC

Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz PC

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Brands have begun to develop and release third party software integrations, or "Skills" as Amazon calls them, for the Alexa platform as well as for other voice-enabled platforms and devices.

United StatesTechnology
Daniel M. Goldberg
Daniel M. Goldberg
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In 2016, Amazon sold millions of Amazon Echos worldwide. Brands have taken notice, and begun to develop and release third party software integrations, or "Skills" as Amazon calls them, for the Alexa platform as well as for other voice-enabled platforms and devices. Once again, the law is playing catch-up with technology, and we are here to help you navigate the thorny issues.

Alexa, what are voice-enabled platforms and devices?

For purposes of this post, voice-enabled platforms and devices are those that use a combination of software and hardware to continuously listen and respond to the surrounding environment. The most well-known device dedicated to this "always-on" functionality is the Amazon Echo. The Amazon Echo, based on the Alexa platform, uses a far-field microphone to listen at all times for the wake word "Alexa," and upon identification of that word, records and transmits subsequent sounds over the internet in order to determine and provide an appropriate

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