Aren't Google Homes and Amazon echo's one of the most popular items? Why would Google need to secretly put a microphone inside of a niche product like the Nest to be able to record people?
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Google's Nest Secure recently revealed to have a secret microphone built-in, Google states they made an "error" in not disclosing this microphone
- Thread starter Deleted member 3812
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No need. I don't think there's any foul play here. Same reason I scoff at paranoia towards Google Home, there are so many people hesitant to put one in their house and yet half probably use an Android phone.
Google's also no stranger to including unnecessary, unused features in their hardware. I own a Google OnHub router, the Asus model specifically. The top of it is outfitted with a proximity sensor (dubbed 'Wave Control') that can detect a hand motion above it, whose only purpose is to give priority speeds to a specific device (which is also accessible via the app, rather than needing to physically reach over to wherever you store your router). It's also outfitted with an internal speaker, which IIRC is only used to make a chime a single time during setup and never heard from again. A complete waste. Also a USB port which I think only delivers power and can't be used for file transfers over the network (but this one is actually really useful for me and cut from the newer Google Wifis, I use it to power a USB-powered Ethernet Switch).
So Google adding a microphone to a device just in case they wanted to expand its feature-set is no surprise at all, and Google really has no need to sneak microphones into your house.
I had a thought when I cut my TV off the internet that is just didn't show you content from the internet but was still sending data as it could remember the Wifi password. Best to block it on the router to be safe.
This, plus your fucking smartphone, are why I don't care or worry about this "secret microphone". Most people already have smart devices they know have mics and are cool with it, I don't see why Google would have to sneak anything in secretly.
My wife bought Nest Protect fire alarms not knowing Nest was a part of Google so I'm pretty sure Google has recordings of 4 different labeled areas of our house now. I'd be disturbed but Google already owns every single fucking part of my identity because I believed the don't be evil hype as a teenager. It also tracks who's home and who's not, if and when you walked past the sensor and it even handily lights up to let you know it's there spying on you. It's pretty f'ing awesome.
I just plug it in via ethernet if I want to update it or whatever. No wifi for non-smart devices. Then again I just use the TV as a big monitor for my HTPC.
Their business model revolves around invading your privacy.
They're like Facebook except they're better at hiding and PR.
They better do, because relying on the U.S. gov to properly regulate on of their golden boys is futile. Those mercantilists will never ever restrict something that could influence the US' global position, or at least what they'd consider essential to the US' leadership role.
srsly... the "oops" replies here are somewhat disheartening... well at least they are acknowledging it. Most of the community seems to ignore it, as usual when it comes to these privacy-related threads
Imagine this had something to do with Russia. We would be past page 50 by now.
People getting up in arms about a "government" trolling on the internet and here we have a giant corp literally putting microphones in peoples homes without telling them. Straight out of 1984.
It's good practice to disclose if your product has a mic or camera in this day and age, even if it's reserved for future use.
I own a Nest Guard and this is pretty fucked up. I would go all Apple due to privacy if I could, but they don't make home security products unfortunately. I wish there were more choices with quality smart home stuff (and available in Australia) other than Google and Amazon.
I also own a Google Home Mini but I have it on perpetual mute, just to have it to announce visitors with our Nest Hello doorbell. It's sounding more and more like that was a good idea.
I also own a Google Home Mini but I have it on perpetual mute, just to have it to announce visitors with our Nest Hello doorbell. It's sounding more and more like that was a good idea.
Yet anther reason why I stay the fuck away from any and all "smart home" devices. Basically paying these companies to gather data that they can eventually later sell and make more money. Hard pass.
Some years ago a dear friend of mine, having had his mind blown by Google Earth and Street View, wondered about Google´s business practices. "How could they offer such products for free?", he asked himself.
I was ready to recommend some key updates to marxism and a few Weber notes about the spirit of capitalism, annexing articles about new forms of monetization, and those pie charts which show that Google´s income comes primarily from ads. His conclusion was much simpler but I haven´t forgotten it:
"They are building positive image so they can finally transform into motherfucking Skynet and almost nobody will refuse" (rough translation, since he said it in Spanish, though).
I was ready to recommend some key updates to marxism and a few Weber notes about the spirit of capitalism, annexing articles about new forms of monetization, and those pie charts which show that Google´s income comes primarily from ads. His conclusion was much simpler but I haven´t forgotten it:
"They are building positive image so they can finally transform into motherfucking Skynet and almost nobody will refuse" (rough translation, since he said it in Spanish, though).
