Amazon has reaffirmed its commitment to user privacy after a patent filed by the company emerged that uses ‘voice-sniffing’ technology to listen for key words in conversations.

A patent filed in the US describes how listening to conversations with “sniffer algorithms” could be used to learn about customer likes and dislikes for the purpose of targeted advertising and product recommendations. article

They are claiming not to use the technology. So why patent? If the idea is novel enough to be granted - it does prevent rivals from doing it and thus stealing a march. Or forcing (say) Goggle to invalidate the patent by virtue of "prior art". Maybe that is Goggle's ace card if found out & challenged!

But how would you know they (or any they) are not doing it already? Only by deliberately tricking it.

Laughing at us? Sniggering for sure!