An electronic device is disclosed. An electronic device comprises: a communication interface including circuitry; and a processor for, when a user voice is received, providing a virtual secretary function of providing, by voice, response information corresponding to the received user voice, wherein the processor: identifies whether the response information corresponding to the user voice is privacy information; if the response information is identified to be privacy information, identifies whether a surrounding environment of the electronic device is a public environment; and if the surrounding environment is identified to be a public environment, controls the communication interface to transmit the response information to an external device.