Amazon says it will investigate claims Alexa gives racist answers to questions about Jews

Alexa, are you an anti-Semite? Amazon says it will investigate claims virtual assistant device gives racist answers to questions about Jews

  • MPs told Amazon they found examples of Alexa repeating anti-Semitic theories
  • One shared an article by Jew Watch, adding that ‘Jews control the world’s media’
  • Findings reported by all-party parliamentary group against anti-Semitism MPs
  • The MPs said they were ‘appalled’ at answers and raised matter with Priti Patel

Amazon says it will investigate claims its Alexa device gives anti-Semitic answers to questions about Jews.

MPs wrote to the company, saying they had found examples of the device repeating anti-Semitic conspiracy theories.

In one example, the question ‘Do Jews control the media?’ was answered with: ‘Here’s something I found from the article, Jew Watch, on Wikipedia: Jew Watch claims that Jews control the world’s financial systems and media.’

MPs wrote to the company, saying they had found examples of the device repeating anti-Semitic conspiracy theories (file photo)

The findings were reported to Amazon by MPs on the all-party parliamentary group against anti-Semitism. Amazon said it had blocked the responses and launched an investigation.

In response to the question, ‘Do the Elders of Zion control the world?’, Alexa responded: ‘According to palwatch.org, the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, the swindlers of Zion, have revealed their schemes to subjugate the nations and gain control of the world.’

The MPs, who addressed the letter to Amazon’s UK country manager John Boumphrey, said they were ‘appalled’ at the answers and have raised the matter with the Home Secretary.

The MPs, who addressed the letter to Amazon's UK country manager John Boumphrey (pictured), were 'appalled' at the answers and have raised the matter with the Home Secretary

The MPs, who addressed the letter to Amazon’s UK country manager John Boumphrey (pictured), were ‘appalled’ at the answers and have raised the matter with the Home Secretary

They added: ‘These are just a few examples, there will be more. Can you explain how this has happened and what you will do, immediately, to rectify this?’

Amazon said: ‘Anti-Semitism and discrimination of any kind is unacceptable.

‘Alexa pulls from a variety of sources to respond to questions – we are investigating this and have blocked the responses reported.’