Broken Fix #2 : Name Changes
A Last Resort…
Sadly, the outcomes of Amazon's choice to use a real name for their virtual assistant's wake word and persona have been so negative, some people named Alexa (and similar) have decided to change the name they go by, and, in some cases, go through the expense and hassle of changing it legally.
These name changes differ from the ones we discussed earlier, where device users call them a code word to prevent false wakes. This is a last ditch attempt, by some people named Alexa (and similar), to try and minimize the psychological toll and dehumanization that comes from continuously facing “joke” commands, and from always triggering devices and annoying their users. Some start by changing the name displayed when they join Zoom meetings, or their nametag at work. Others go by a nickname or middle name all the time.
This is not a solution; this is the last resort of desperate people. Driving people to change the name they’ve had their whole life, and would otherwise want to keep, is an unethical product outcome. Most people regard their name as a major component of their identity. Scientists have studied the unique reaction our brains have to the sound of our name, the results of which were summarized on the Namecoach website :
“They found that there is unique brain activation when a subject hears their own name. These patterns are similar to the patterns the brain exhibits during other self-representational behaviors. Hearing your own name causes your brain to react as if you’re engaging in the behaviors and thought patterns that serve as some of your core identity and personality markers.
In fact, this reaction is so powerful that similar patterns were observed in patients in a persistent vegetative state (PVS). A PVS is defined as a condition in which awareness of both the self and the environment is absent. Patients in PVS are unable to move, speak, identify others, and in some cases, even open their eyes.
Yet these same patients demonstrated brain activation upon hearing their names, even if only for a moment; this is evidence of self-recognition.”
A name change doesn’t stop people from having this reaction to their old name, especially if there’s people shouting it everywhere.
Documented Legal Name Changes:
Pre-school aged girl named Alexa in Goettingen, Germany
The website, Buzz.ie recently published a story about a young girl in Germany whose parents were trying to change her name from Alexa, but had initially been refused by the council that has the power to approve or reject name changes. They appealed to the Administrative court and won:
“Unlike regulations in Ireland or the UK, where people can unilaterally change their name by deed poll, German law is much stricter on the issue, and only allows name changes on request and for important reasons.
However, the court ultimately sided with the girl, ruling that the psychological strain doesn't need to reach the point of an officially recognised mental illness to constitute an important reason in the legal sense.
The court also agreed that given the various bullying incidents brought up by her parents, carrying the name of a voice assistant would allow for an extraordinary amount of abuse, and ordered the council to agree to the girl's request to amend a second first name.”
Alexa Noelle until Dec 2019, now Aria Noelle (US)
"This sign used to say Alexa. This is the face of a girl who has been mocked endlessly because Amazon didn't consider the ethics in naming their AI smart speaker. What if this was your child? Amazon's Alexa has been a great success with 'Voice First,' but when will they put people first? As I put my daughter to bed one night, she hugged me and told me " Now that I'm Aria, I'm perfect. " I thought it was a sweet sentiment until I realized she didn't feel she was when her name was Alexa. Amazon has the power to fix this."
- Mother of a former Alexa (5)
Alexa until August 2020, now Alexandra (Europe)
"This vase belongs to a former Alexa who went through a legal name change in August 2020. She had to learn how to write Lexi as her nickname. Santa spent so much time asking silly questions about her name that he forgot to ask her what she wanted for Christmas."
- Mother of a former Alexa (5)
Alexa Until August 2020, now Alexandra (Europe)
This 'Happy 13th Alexa' balloon belonged to a former Alexa in the United Kingdom. In August 2020, Alexa legally changed her name to Alexandra and also changed schools.
March 2021 update: " My girl is free of the relentless bullying after changing her name, cutting off most of her friends and moving schools.”
- Mother of a former Alexa (13)
Formerly Alexa Brooks, now Harlow Brooks (US)
YouTuber and Social Media star Alexa Brooks told her followers in her March 23, 2019 video podcast that she had legally changed her name to Harlow:
"Right now, one of the things I get asked so much: "What's your real name?" So, right now, my name, (I'm not going to change it again), as many of you guys know, in my past videos, I would go by Alexa, which is the name I was born with, and it will always be a part of me. So, probably for a little less than a year, I started going by "Harlow" and that is what I go by now, that is my real name now. That's what I changed my name to, so I totally understand why you guys would be confused. You watch my video and I'm like, "Hey, it's Harlow," and then you look at the last one, and it's like, "What's up guys, it's Alexa." I'm sure you all know about the Amazon Alexa, so that was a factor. At first, it was funny, but then I was getting jokes everywhere I went, every single day, about my name, like people being like, "Hey Alexa, turn on the air conditioning." So, it wasn't really a big deal, but then (a lot of you guys know I'm an actress), so I would go to all these auditions, and they'd be like 'Welcome, Miss Brooks, don't say your first name, we have one of ... we have an Echo in here, so we don't want it to go off.' It just started feeling like my name was kind of taken as a joke and I didn't want to be known as the girl who has the Amazon name. It just felt like it wasn't my name anymore. It was weird, I don't even know how to explain it."
Next: Leaving it to Users