Google says Nest’s built-in mic not listed in specs was not meant to be secret

Re:Google says Nest’s built-in mic not listed in specs was n... by kalleboo on Wednesday February 20, 2019 @07:24AM (#19207302)

You can add hardware features in order to support features you want to support in the future, but not advertise them in case those features for some reason don't come to fruition. If they had advertised "contains a microphone" there could be users who claim false advertising if they can't use the microphone. It's stupid but I can see a lawyer making the argument.

As long as the microphone never recorded anything, they're no legal downside to including it and not documenting it. There could be a slim but potential issue with advertising a microphone that the customer can never use.

The response to this incident is showing that that view is changing though.

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Re:Google says Nest’s built-in mic not listed in specs was n... by taneq on Wednesday February 20, 2019 @08:10AM (#19207515)

An extra co-processor or something, sure. A device which the capacity to invade the user's privacy and/or compromise their security? Not so much. It'd be like having a 3G connection hidden in a security camera and not telling anyone.

[ Parent | on HN ]