Voice assistant systems (VAS) are software platforms such as Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant that complete various tasks using voice commands. VAS present opportunities for older adults to improve home safety, participate in remote monitoring, and optimize medication adherence. A recent study found that VAS ownership and use in older adults (>60 years) was similar to that of younger adults (18–60 years). Our findings suggest that older adults may have fewer privacy concerns about the use of VAS and less desire for strict privacy regulations than younger adults. However, it is unclear if older adults understood the privacy risks associated with VAS use. The decreased privacy concerns of older adults in our study puts them at an increased potential risk of identity and financial theft.

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Spangler, Hillary B., Driesse, Tiffany M., Lynch, David H., Liang, Xiaohui, Roth, Robert M., Kotz, David, Fortuna, Karen, and Batsis, John A. Privacy Concerns of Older Adults Using Voice Assistant Systems. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, pages 1–4. Wiley, August 2022. doi:10.1111/jgs.18009. ©Copyright The American Geriatrics Society.