Using Sonos app to disable voice control

Forum|Forum|8 years ago
June 19, 2018
12 replies
7113 views

Hello,

I recently purchased a few Sonos Ones (first time Sonos user). I have been playing around with the Alexa integration and I find it pretty useful.... and so have our little kids. The kids love nothing more than shouting at Alexa first thing in the morning and getting random music to play at full volume. Same can happen when we are listening to something they find it hilarious to change the music / talk to Alexa. All of which leads me to the topic title...

From what I can see there appears to be no way to temporarily disable voice control;
- Turning the microphone off using the button on the speaker isn't helpful (in this scenario) because it can simply be touched to be re-enabled again
- The microphone button on the speaker is not disabled when I have turned off the touch control buttons in the app (which I find a bit weird given there is almost no point in turning the touch controls off if anyone can simply override everything with Alexa).
- I have tried seeing if I can disable the device from within the Alexa iOS app, but this didn't appear to do anything.
- Whilst I could of course remove the Alexa integration on the speaker(s), this is a very cumbersome process if I'd be doing this a number of times a day

Is there anything I'm missing? If not can I request Sonos consider having an additional toggle in the Sonos app to manage the microphone?

Many thanks in advance.

Sonos Voice Control

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Best answer by Ken_Griffiths

I know Sonos have said the mic is hardwired to its light so that a user always knows when the mic is on or off. I’m not so sure being able to turn it off/on with software is a good idea, as that too might invite hackers to try to exploit those things and I think Sonos see our security and privacy as paramount.

My thoughts are to tell the the kids to stop doing what they are doing and deal with the matter as you would whenever you feel they are misbehaving.

I think it’s a discipline thing rather than something that Sonos needs to resolve, as controlling such listening devices by software may raise even more concerns from many other users of their hardware.

I think the Amazon Alexa devices do not allow their microphones to be turned on/off with software either.

Show previous replies

jgatie

Thanks. I understand that too and have read some of the other privacy related posts on here with interest. The thing I don't get, is that if you don't want the 'listening device' to be on, then I would assume that person would have no intention of authorising/integrating the Sonos app with their Alexa/Amazon app. Without that first step there is no 'listening device' at all.

So, for those that have done the initial integration (and therefore are seemingly ok with the microphones being used in their house / room) then this software switch could be displayed / made use of. If there is no Alex/voice integration then Sonos could hide the switch in the UI as it wouldn't serve any purpose. Simples :)

Try to tell that to the folks who are paranoid about listening devices. 😉

JayHTX

Contributor I

I know Sonos have said the mic is hardwired to its light so that a user always knows when the mic is on or off. I’m not so sure being able to turn it off/on with software is a good idea, as that too might invite hackers to try to exploit those things and I think Sonos see our security and privacy as paramount.

My thoughts are to tell the the kids to stop doing what they are doing and deal with the matter as you would whenever you feel they are misbehaving.

I think it’s a discipline thing rather than something that Sonos needs to resolve, as controlling such listening devices by software may raise even more concerns from many other users of their hardware.

I think the Amazon Alexa devices do not allow their microphones to be turned on/off with software either.

I just read this post. What the heck have we come to. This dude is asking Sonos to change a product because he can't control his kids? I have no words. Ken you are spot on. A 2 and 5 year old can't even comprehend this concept and obviously they see and hear their parents doing things that you can't possibly explain to them. This is why kids are growing up crazy.

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