# Alexa's random laughter **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 8, 2018, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexas-random-laughter/810242 "2018-03-08T16:33:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ArtBeforeScience](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@ArtBeforeScience](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArtBeforeScience)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2018, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexas-random-laughter/810242/1 "2018-03-08T16:33:11Z")
Alexa is reported to issue “random laughter” which reminds me of those old joke-shop devices that emitted maniacal screaming laughter. Now it seems like our own devices are actively gaslighting us. When my phone does something unexpected I can’t tell if it’s malware, or by design. Shaking icons was the worst! I really thought I was nuts for about a minute. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2018, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexas-random-laughter/810242/2 "2018-03-08T16:38:12Z")
Making devices “more human” is only good up to a point because humans can be very annoying. Answering my question pleasantly with a reasonably human voice is good enough for me. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2018, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexas-random-laughter/810242/3 "2018-03-08T16:43:37Z")
What’s the question here? ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2018, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexas-random-laughter/810242/4 "2018-03-08T16:47:39Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > What’s the question here? I interpret an implied question as in, “This is how I feel, but how do you feel about it?” ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2018, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexas-random-laughter/810242/5 "2018-03-08T16:54:13Z")
I haven’t had that happen to me yet, but a week or two ago, Alexa just started blasting music at something like 11 p.m. for no reason that I could discern. I even went to the app to check what voice command it heard, and there was none. It apparently just spontaneously decided to wake the house up. Now, this is the only time I’ve ever had something unexplained like that happen in the year and a half or so of owning a smart speaker. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2018, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexas-random-laughter/810242/6 "2018-03-08T17:01:18Z")
> [@ArtBeforeScience](#): > > Now it seems like our own devices are actively gaslighting us. Unless your devices are intentionally attempting to convince you or others that you are delusional, then they are not “gaslighting” you. (This is a pet peeve of mine, yet another word with a specific definition that is being diluted beyond having any meaning.) ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2018, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexas-random-laughter/810242/7 "2018-03-08T17:04:09Z")
[Existing thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=850681). ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2018, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexas-random-laughter/810242/8 "2018-03-08T17:24:21Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > What’s the question here? Why would you _not_ smash a computer that controls your household, that randomly laughs without reason, with a 20 lb. sledgehammer? Do you people not watch horror movies? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2018, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexas-random-laughter/810242/9 "2018-03-08T17:27:02Z")
_Alexa: The Forbin Project_. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2018, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexas-random-laughter/810242/10 "2018-03-08T17:49:48Z")
**Moderator Action** > [@ftg](#): > > [Existing thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=850681). I don’t see a factual question here. Since another thread on the topic already exists that is in the proper forum, I will close this rather than move it or try to merge it (which would just end up being confusing). Thread closed.