Overview
- Roskachestvo advises users to avoid sensitive conversations near smart speakers and to switch off the microphone when the device is idle.
- The agency says full privacy is guaranteed only by physically disconnecting the microphone, calling hardware mute buttons a key safety feature.
- Officials explain that speakers continuously listen for a wake word with on‑device analysis, while server contacts are infrequent and use encryption largely for technical data.
- The guidance warns that background speech can still inform detailed user profiles, reinforcing the need to audit smart‑home permissions.
- State Duma committee chair Sergey Boyarsky says operators he consulted categorically reject the claim that only a physical mic cutoff ensures privacy, calling the statement irresponsible.