Apparently Amazon is introducing a feature that extends your Wi-Fi and shares your home’s bandwidth with anyone else using an Amazon device. I’m not too familiar with these mesh networks, but until I know more I think caution is warranted. This opt-out feature raises significant privacy and security concerns.
Here’s how Amazon describes it:
Amazon Sidewalk is a new long-term effort to greatly extend the working range of low-bandwidth, low-power, smart lights, sensors, and other low-cost devices customers install at the edge of their home network. Using the 900 MHz spectrum, we are developing a new protocol we project can increase the connection range of these devices by more than one half mile/one kilometer. With Amazon Sidewalk, customers will be able to place smart devices anywhere on their property and know they’ll work great, even in dead spots where Wi-Fi and Bluetooth don’t reach.
I am not a privacy or network security expert. But until I learn more about this I’ll be opting out.
Here’s how to turn it off:
- Open Alexa App.
- Go to settings
- Account Settings
- Amazon Sidewalk
- Turn it off
