Google Nest Secure home security system's hidden microphone was never disclosed to consumers

Thursday, on "Pat Gray Unleashed," Pat Gray and Keith Malinak discussed the Google Nest Secure home security system and the recent discovery that the system has a built-in microphone.

In this clip, Pat highlighted the problem as being less about the microphone itself and more about the fact that the company failed to inform consumers of the potential for Google to have listening capabilities.

Click here to watch the full episode.

According to Reuters, Google failed to mention the microphone in the product specs section of the owners manual, and the mic would still be unknown if not for the latest update released by Google that requires using the built-in microphone.

What did Google have to say?

"The on-device microphone was never intended to be a secret and should have been listed in the tech specs. That was an error on our part. The microphone has never been on and is only activated when users specifically enable the option," Google said.

Click here to watch the full episode.

Not so coincidentally, the microphone will work with a new feature that requires the user to activate the microphone under the settings section in the Nest Secure wall unit.

The takeaway

Pat asserted that this kind of privacy violation isn't uncommon among people who believe that if they are not doing anything wrong, then they have no reason to worry about the government or companies eavesdropping.

The problem is when the ruling class gets to decide right and wrong and uses companies like Google as the vehicle on the highway to tyranny.

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Correction: The original version of this article incorrectly identified the the microphone as being part of the Google Nest system's thermostat apparatus, when in fact it is part of the Nest Secure home security system. We regret the error.