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Google accidentally enables Home smart speakers to listen in to everyday house sounds

Google accidentally enabled a feature for Google Home users which let the smart speaker listen to the sounds of objects in your house.

A user on Reddit spotted a notification on his phone from his smart speaker which alerted him to the fact his smoke alarm was going off while he was cooking.

Other users reported getting alerts for the sound of glass breaking, popped bubble wrap, an air compressor tank, and other high-pitched noises that sound like alarms.

In a statement to Protocol, a Google spokesperson said that the feature was accidentally enabled through a recent software update which has now been reversed.

Google said the addition was never intended to be a secret, but users only realised the company could have been potentially listening to users until Google announced an update that would allow it to use Google Assistant.

Original article
Author: The Independent

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