Civil servants barred from having smart speakers on in rooms amid fears they could listen in on confidential zoom meetings

Civil servants have been warned against taking part in meetings unless smart speakers such as Amazon Echo and Google’s Nest are switched off in the rooms. As lockdown has forced thousands of employees to work from home, they have been warned that the devices can be a security risk if left on. Smart speakers such as the Echo and Nest have become commonplace, as users become more used to giving commands to digital assistants such as Amazon's Alexa or Apple's Siri. To obey voice commands, the devices often "passively listen" out for trigger words. When a user issues a command, devices will record it, send it to the company's servers for analysis, and then store the recording. However, devices can wake in response to the wrong word and record background noise or speech by accident. Government sources said sensitive conversations about matters such as national security do not take place in homes. However, a Government spokesman said: "All departments have robust processes in place to ensure communication around government business is secure. “Civil servants also receive guidance to ensure appropriate safeguards are in place for any home working." one civil servant who had smart speakers told Business Insider: “I was effectively told to put mine in the bin.” Another said: "It's common guidance to turn off your Alexa or Siri. I don't recall if it's ever been compulsory, but certainly longstanding."