Quote:
Originally Posted by Ironnan
Note that a new feature called SIDEWALK goes live Jun 8. If you haven't OPTED OUT, Amazon will divert up to 1/40th of your internet for passerbys and neighbors.
To turn off this feature, go to the Alexa App:
Settings
Account Settings
Sidewalk -> Opt out
I am blocked from adding the article link. Just google ALEXA SIDEWALK and look for the ARS Technica article.
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To clarify, Sidewalk doesn't use 1/40 of your internet. It will use a maximum of 80 kilobits per second. So, if you have an internet speed of 100 megabits per second, then it could possibly use 1/800 of your internet speed at any given time. Also, if you are paying for data, like on a cell phone, the data usage for Sidewalk is capped at 500 megabits per month. The internet usage is encrypted. Opting out may make you feel good, but I don't think it will make any difference for most users, and it does have some positive benefits by preventing your app from shutting down when you have an internet outage.