Is Amazon Alexa supporting Democrats? Trump campaign claims so
An alleged error in Amazon's Alexa devices has put focus on Big Tech's interference in elections. Alexa users recently complained that it was offering inconsistent responses, regarding Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. When asked why one should vote for Trump, Alexa responded, "I cannot provide responses that endorse any political party or leader." However, when the same question was posed about Harris, it gave a detailed answer. The Trump campaign have criticized Amazon for this bias.
Alexa's response spark controversy
Regarding Harris, Alexa responded, "While there are many reasons to vote for Kamala Harris, the most significant may be that she is a female of color with a comprehensive plan to address racial injustice and inequality throughout the country."
Social media users highlight Alexa's apparent bias
The perceived bias in Alexa's responses was not limited to a single instance. Several social media users shared videos, showing the device providing similarly biased answers to questions about the Democratic and Republican presidential nominees. In response to this controversy, an Amazon spokesperson stated that the bias was due to an "error" that has been promptly corrected.
Trump campaign accuses Amazon of election interference
Trump campaign officials have accused Amazon of election interference due to the perceived bias in Alexa's responses. Steven Cheung, a spokesperson for the Trump campaign, expressed his frustration on social media after Alexa provided reasons not to vote for Trump but refused to do the same for Harris. Jason Miller, a senior adviser to the Trump campaign, compared Amazon's response to Facebook's handling of The New York Post's Hunter Biden laptop story in 2020.
Amazon assures neutrality of Alexa after error correction
In response to the controversy, an Amazon spokesperson clarified that Alexa does not have a set of political beliefs. The company has implemented measures to prevent similar errors in the future. After the correction, when asked about Harris or any other candidate, Alexa now states, "I cannot provide content that promotes a specific political party or specific candidate." Despite these assurances, Amazon's shares experienced a 1.26% drop on Tuesday.
