The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) has reportedly sought 24/7 access to Yandex’s Alisa, a voice assistant akin to Amazon’s Alexa. According to rights lawyers, this marks the first publicly known instance of the FSB attempting to access such a system. The development has raised concerns among privacy advocates and technology experts.
Yandex, a major Russian technology company, has not yet officially commented on the FSB’s request. However, the company has previously emphasized its commitment to data privacy and user security. The FSB’s interest in Alisa could be related to its broader efforts to monitor digital communications within the country.
Legal experts are scrutinizing the situation, noting that while the FSB’s request may be legally permissible under certain circumstances, it raises significant ethical questions. The incident has sparked discussions about the balance between national security and individual privacy rights in the digital age.