It has been reported that Alphabet Inc’s Google said on Wednesday it had made an “error” in not disclosing that its Nest Secure home security system had a built-in microphone in its devices. Earlier this month, Google said Nest Secure would be getting an update. However, the device’s published specifications did not mention a microphone.
Gavin Millard, VP of Intelligence at Tenable:
“With the recent concerns on how large companies are leveraging our private data, the disclosure that NEST devices had a secret mic is obviously going to cause consternation. Many, including myself, prefer not to have active mics linked to cloud services embedded in technology, and base buying decisions on their inclusion or not. With big stories about televisions that surreptitiously share viewing habits and speakers you can handily ask for pancake recipes but also capture more information than you’d wish to disclose, consumers are becoming far more savvy with the technology they’ll trust in their homes and the data they collect. Could it have been an innocent mistake? Probably, but with everything that has happened over the last few years, the privacy backlash is building.”
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