Amazon Refuses To Help Police Crack A Murder Case Using Alexa Data

Many times in the past, tech companies and law enforcement officials clash over ongoing investigations that inevitably involve their products. One recent incident was when Apple refused to unlock a user’s iPhone even though the user is a terrorist. This time, police are going head to head with Amazon due to its refusal to hand over data that could help solve a murder case.

In a crime story straight out of some thriller novel or a police procedural TV show, police found the body of one Victor Collins outside of a Bentonville, Ark. home last Sunday, the Los Angeles Times reports. The house belonged to a co-worker named James A. Bates who was the one to call 911 after discovering the grizzly scene.

Inside the home, several Internet of Things devices were found, including the Alexa in question. Police officers then served a warrant to Amazon asking for data found in the device at the crime scene.

"The Amazon Echo device is constantly listening for the 'wake' command of 'Alexa' or Amazon,' and records any command, inquiry, or verbal gesture given after that point, or possibly at all times without the 'wake word' being issued, which is uploaded to Amazon.com's servers at a remote location," the warrant reads. "It is believed that these records are retained by Amazon.com and that they are evidence related to the case under investigation."

As to be expected, Amazon refused due to their view that the case did not merit enough legal reason to release confidential information. In fact, a spokesperson for the tech company made it clear to Engadget that Amazon “objects to overbroad or otherwise inappropriate demands as a matter of course."

The whole reason for the kerfuffle is the belief by the police that Alexa was active at the time of the crime, which would have allowed it to capture some audio data on the events that transpired. However, Amazon insists that this would require the use of the activation word. Otherwise, Alexa just remains inert.