Beware of the smart device: Ways to stay private and safe

A second generation Echo controls the blinds as well as televisions and lighting at an Amazon Experience Centers model home in Dallas, Texas. Many of these Internet-connected speaker devices listen constantly for commands and connect to corporate servers to carry them out. — AP

NEW YORK: Did someone invite a spy into your home over the holidays? Maybe so, if a friend or family member gave you a voice-controlled speaker or some other smart device.

It's easy to forget, but everything from Internet-connected speakers with voice assistants such as Amazon's Alexa to television sets with built-in Netflix can be always listening – and sometimes watching, too. As with almost all new technology, installing such devices means balancing privacy risks with the conveniences they offer.