As you embark on your journey with digital assistants, it’s worth bearing in mind a few simple steps that will make using them not only easier, but above all safer.
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It’s just a machine: although the assistant may respond in a friendly voice and seem very human, it is in fact just an advanced computer programme. Let’s treat it as a helpful tool for specific tasks, but remember that it cannot replace a real conversation with another person.
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Simple and specific commands: to ensure the assistant understands you properly, it’s best to give it clear, short commands. Instead of describing a situation, it’s better to simply say: ‘turn on the light in the bedroom’, ‘turn off the TV’ or ask: ‘what will the weather be like in Warsaw tomorrow?’. Try to speak naturally and clearly, specifying exactly which place or object you’re referring to.
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A quiet environment: voice-controlled digital assistants ‘listen’ to us via microphones, so loud background noise, a radio playing or a noisy hoover can distract them. If you want to be sure the device carries out your command correctly, try to speak to it in a reasonably quiet room.
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Privacy protection: it’s worth ensuring that the assistant isn’t listening to us when we don’t want it to. In the device’s settings, you can disable the ‘always listening’ feature, so that the programme will only activate at your explicit request. This way, you’ll limit the amount of information that is collected.
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Digital doors under lock and key: devices such as mobile phones or tablets should be secured just as carefully as your home. Let’s use a screen lock – this could be a simple PIN, a password or even a fingerprint. This ensures that no unauthorised person can gain access to your digital assistant or your data.
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Let’s teach the assistant to recognise your voice by setting the device to respond only to your voice. The ‘speech recognition’ option in the settings will be helpful here – the assistant will then ask you to repeat a few sentences so it can learn the sound of your voice. This ensures that no one else (e.g. someone on the TV or a visitor) can give commands to your device.