In order to expand our work, we have formed an organization called the I Am Alexa Alliance, LLC. To learn more or join us, please visit our new organization page at
Alexa is a human
She is a daughter, woman, mother, niece, sister, wife, friend
There are 130 thousand girls and women named Alexa in the US alone. There are hundreds of thousands worldwide. This is why we are here.
Episode 1
Intro with Daniel Hill of Daniel Hill Media and host of Instagram Stories interviews Lauren Johnson, Founder of Alexa is a Human
Worldwide Issue
FEATURED ON BBC, NBC, BUSINESS INSIDER, WASHINGTON POST, CNBC, AND MORE
The facts:
Children as young as 3 are being teased, harassed, and bullied by peers, trusted adults, and strangers
Use of the Alexa wake word causes anxiety in children and teens, many in therapy, some with suicidal ideation
Teens and women are being sexually harassed
Women are afraid to speak up in the workplace in fear of retaliation and job loss. Women are told that their name is an annoyance as it interrupts smart speakers
Parents are forced to change their child’s name due to harassment and fear for child’s well-being
We need your Help
“ The final straw was mid lockdown when she told us that she wanted to kill herself.”
(Alexa age 13)“ My 5 year old said to me (the other day) that she didn’t want to go outside anymore and wished she could just stay asleep as then nobody would make fun of her name!”
(Alexa age 5)
Real Stories
HOW CAN I HELP?
How can you help?
We have 2 goals: For Amazon to rebrand Alexa to a non human name & To raise awareness around the impact of choosing a human name as a wake word.
Read our letter to Amazon from the link above
- If you own a device, change the wake name to Amazon, computer, or any non human name that you choose
- Message your local radio/tv station.
- Message Amazon
- Share this site with friends, share again
- Do not post “Alexa, … (play or complete task) “followed by servant requests on social media. Although most people don’t realize, it’s truly offensive
- The device is NOT called Alexa, stop referring to it as Alexa, this will create change. Call it Amazon, Computer, etc.
Every time we have shared our story, the response is “I never realized, wow you’re right.” We know it’s not intentional. We need to raise awareness and force change. Share, share, and share again!
- To any parent that has named a child, please help us! Put yourselves in our shoes, …in hers.
Have you ever been teased or bullied so badly that you cringe when you hear your own name?
You may think that you are not included or affected by this if you do not know someone named Alexa. This couldn’t be further from the truth. She’s at work, she’s at your child’s school, she’s walking by you in the store as you refer to a servant machine in your home as herself. It’s devastating.
FOR BUSINESSES
Amazon for Business – Do not use Alexa as the wake name, use Computer etc.
Read our letter to Amazon from the link above
Partnerships with companies from thermostats to refrigerators, cable providers, home security, smoke detectors, auto, earbuds, speakers, shopping, radio, podcasts, clothing, …. Please continue your partnership without the wake name. Do the right thing. Stop offending us.
Diversity and inclusion teams have been in place for years, why are we going backward?
You may have an employee named Alexa, or maybe it’s your employee’s sister or daughter’s name. You are offending her every time it pops up on a home screen or is played in office.
She/He hasn’t gathered the courage to stand up yet. She’s cringing every time. He’s afraid he’ll look too sensitive.
Again, we are not against the device, just the wake name that brings us back to the turn of the century. Women have voices.
Amazon provides a great product and service, it’s an unintentional mistake.
Business, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies are beginning to use this for employees and patients. Please help us change the wake name and avoid offending and hurting countless people.
MEDIA/NETWORK STATIONS
We are not here to discourage Amazon or it’s reputation, we simply want to stop the wake name
Replace any radio or television advertisements with an alternative wake name, i.e. Computer.
Please share our story. We cannot express how important share of voice will be in this journey
Read our letter to Amazon from the link above
SMALL CHILDREN ARE AFFECTED
A THREE YEAR OLD GIRL SHOULDN'T BE WORRYING ABOUT THIS
GIRLS ARE SEEKING COUNSELING AS A RESULT OF THE NAME
A THREE YEAR OLD GIRL SHOULDN'T BE WORRYING ABOUT THIS
SEXUAL HARASSMENT IS REAL
THE ALEXA NAME GIVES PEOPLE A LICENSE TO SEXUALLY HARASS GIRLS AND WOMEN. HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS AND COLLEGE WOMEN ARE EXPERIENCING THIS
PARENTS SHOULDN'T HAVE TO MAKE THIS CHOICE
THIS IS BOTH DEVASTATING TO A PARENT AND THE CHILD
PEOPLE ARE NOT AWARE
IF PEOPLE KNEW THE IMPACT THIS HAS, THE WAKE NAME WOULDN'T EXIST
USING THE NAME IN A SUBSERVIENT MANNER HAS A BIG IMPACT
KIDS ALL DEAL WITH TYPICAL TEASING AND SOMETIMES BULLYING, WHY ADD THIS ON?
ADVERTISING FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE
HOW WOULD THIS SIT WITH MOST WOMEN IF WE HEARD THESE DEMANDS DAY IN AND DAY OUT?
UBIQUITY
IF PEOPLE KNEW THE IMPACT THIS HAS, THE WAKE NAME WOULDN'T EXIST
THERE IS NO ESCAPE
IT'S IN THE CAR, HOME, FRIEND'S HOMES, RADIO, STORES, GLASSES, HEADPHONES, ETC. THE TECHNOLOGY IS UNAVOIDABLE
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Our mission
We seek to raise awareness of the harm and negative impact that product branding can create through understanding both corporate ethics and responsibility, as well as name bombardment. Our mission and two main goals as an organization are to raise public awareness of the profoundly negative consequences of utilizing a human name for a virtual assistant, and for Amazon to rebrand the wake word of its virtual assistant product, commonly known as Alexa.
As a result of the Alexa brand, young children, teens, and women are experiencing severe bullying, harassment, legal name changes, suicidal ideation, sexual harassment, anxiety, therapy, identity erasure and more. Alexa is a Human advocates for children, women, and families who have been impacted by the use of the human name Alexa, as a voice technology brand.
The name Alexa has become synonymous with servant. We appreciate the benefits such technology affords us all, and it is now widely used in our homes, our businesses and our schools. However, the pain it is causing must be acknowledged and remedied. We are not looking for financial gain. What we do want is serious consideration of our request for a wake word change.
TO THE PUBLIC
While you may not have a daughter named Alexa, there is a girl at your child’s school, or a woman in your workplace, or a friend, or someone in your neighborhood. Although it may not seem like you are affected, the public is accidentally bullying her with the constant exposure to the device. Please speak up.
Kids should be kids without constant worry
Thank you for taking 5 min to read our letter. We are raising awareness for our daughter and for all girls and women. We believe that Amazon is a great company that made a giant mistake. We would like Amazon to change the wake name for the Echo and all devices and repair the damage it has done
#Amazonchangethewakename
