Voice assistants : a modern day infringement upon our right to privacy?

Abstract

During the past few years, great advancements in the technological sphere have been seen – these advancements include smart watches, smart phones, and even smart assistants that have been integrated into phones and even cars! What makes these assistants so smart? Voice controlled digital assistants have become a part of everyday life, whether it’s Apple’s Siri or Amazon’s Alexa, they are integrated into the technology we use every day and everywhere – including our office and even in the privacy of our own homes. These voice assistants are willingly let into our households and consequently into our daily life. But does this commodity come with a price? This dissertation will be tackling this subject matter – are voice assistants an infringement upon an individual’s fundamental human right, that being the right to privacy? This dissertation will consult the European Convention on Human Rights, the recently enshrined Regulation 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the European Council, The General Data Protection Regulation, amongst others, to find an answer to the underlying question – is our current legal framework enough to protect against any infringements by these voice assistants?