Draft:Google Nest Incident
| Submission declined on 24 December 2025 by Kovcszaln6 (talk). The proposed article does not have sufficient content to require an article of its own, but it could be merged into the existing article at Google Nest. Since anyone can edit Wikipedia, you are welcome to add that information yourself. Thank you.
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| Submission declined on 16 December 2025 by MCE89 (talk). This submission does not appear to be written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. Entries should be written from a neutral point of view, and should refer to a range of independent, reliable, published sources. Please rewrite your submission in a more encyclopedic format. Please make sure to avoid peacock terms that promote the subject. The proposed article does not have sufficient content to require an article of its own, but it could be merged into the existing article at Google Nest Incident. Since anyone can edit Wikipedia, you are welcome to add that information yourself. Thank you. Declined by MCE89 8 days ago. | |
Comment: I see no good reason why this shouldn't be merged into Google Nest. Kovcszaln6 (talk) 13:35, 24 December 2025 (UTC)
- Comment: Statements like
However, the omission raised serious privacy concerns, especially for a security device meant to provide protection and peace of mind
are not written from a neutral point of view and should be rewritten. It's also not clear to me why this needs to be split off into a separate article, rather than being added as a section to Google Nest. MCE89 (talk) 05:58, 16 December 2025 (UTC)
The Google Nest Guard incident was a privacy incident and public relations failure affecting the Google Nest Guard system. The controversy stemmed from the fact that Nest Guard, a security device that was part of the Nest Secure system, contained a hidden microphone that was not disclosed in any product specifications.[1]
The microphone was discovered by the public in February 2019, after Google announced a new feature that would use that microphone for voice commands.[2] Users and reviewers were shocked, as the product's tech specs had never listed a microphone. Google claimed that it was an error when writing the product specifications. US Senators wrote an open letter to Google's CEO demanding answers and an in-person briefing.[3] They framed the incident as a major breach of consumer trust and raised specific security concerns.[4]
History
[edit]The Nest Secure system, featuring the Nest Guard as its hub, launched in September 2017.[5][6] The system included the Nest Guard hub with a keypad and motion sensor, Nest Detect door/window sensors, and Nest Tag key fobs for arming and disarming the alarm.[5]
One year and a half later, in February, 2019, Google announced a software update that enabled Google Assistant on the device, thus revealing an undisclosed microphone in the Nest Guard that lead to the hidden microphone controversy.[7][8]
After the public backlash, Google acknowledged this as an "error" and claimed the microphone was never activated without user permission.[1] Google responded that "the on-device microphone was never intended to be a secret and should have been listed in the tech specs".[2] However, the omission raised serious privacy concerns, as critics argued that if a microphone was not disclosed in the specs, the same could also happen for other components or features.[1][9]
Reactions
[edit]The public's reaction
[edit]The announcement caused immediate concern and anger. Users and tech blogs such as Daring Fireball, highlighted the issue, and it was widely reported across major news outlets starting around February 20, 2019.[10] Silkie Carlo, director of the privacy-focused campaign group Big Brother Watch, reported "Many of our worries about smart home devices appear to be proving true... Google should be held to account for wrongly advertising this product".[11]
After the revelations that Google did not let consumers know of the microphone in its Nest security devices, the Electronic Privacy Information Center, a major advocacy group, sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission alerting that the situation constituted a consumer risk and it demanded it to take enforcement action against Google.[12] EPIC argued that the FTC should have done a more rigorous review before allowing Google to acquire Nest and demanded that it should force it to divest its Nest business.[13]
US Senators open letter
[edit]At the end of February 2019, US Senators demanded more details about revelations that a hidden microphone had been built into its Nest devices without listing it in the specifications.[14] In their formal letter to Sundar Pichai, they referred to the consumers' concern about the "ability of large technology companies to collect and use personal data about them without their knowledge"[14] and they demanded that these corporations be transparent with customers and provide full disclosure of all technical specifications that they sell. They stated Google's failure "raises serious questions about its commitment to consumer transparency".[3]
In addition, they demanded answers regarding:
- Timeline and awareness: when and how Google realized the microphone was not listed in the tech specs.[14][15]
- Component history: whether a microphone was always a part of the Nest Secure device[14]
- Consumer notification: what steps Google took to inform customers who had already purchased the device.[3]
- Internal process: a description of Google's process for developing technical specs, where the error occurred, and what fixes were in place.[4]
- Security and unauthorized use: if Google was aware of any third party (like hackers) using the microphone without authorization.[4] The letter highlighted that even if Google never activated the microphone, the hardware's existence created a security risk that hackers or outside entities could exploit to illicitly record information.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Nest has a secret microphone–Google just forgot to tell us". Fast Company. 2019-02-20. Archived from the original on 2022-08-19. Retrieved 2025-12-15.
- ^ a b "Google admits error over hidden microphone". 2019-02-20. Retrieved 2025-12-15.
- ^ a b c bio, See full. "Senate demands Google CEO answer for hidden Nest microphone". CNET. Retrieved 2025-12-15.
- ^ a b c Li, Abner (2019-02-27). "Congress asks Google to explain how exactly the Nest Secure microphone 'error' occurred". 9to5Google. Archived from the original on 2023-03-31. Retrieved 2025-12-15.
- ^ a b "Nest's vision of the secure home is rooted in simplicity". Engadget. 2017-09-20. Retrieved 2025-12-19.
- ^ bio, See full. "Hello! Nest has a new doorbell camera". CNET. Retrieved 2025-12-15.
- ^ Hager, Ryne (2019-02-06). "[Update: Setup video, opt-in confirmed] Your Nest Secure becomes an Assistant-integrated smart speaker starting today". Android Police. Retrieved 2025-12-19.
- ^ Porter, Jon (2019-02-20). "Google claims built-in Nest mic was 'never intended to be a secret'". The Verge. Retrieved 2025-12-19.
- ^ Bastone, Nick. "Google says the built-in microphone it never told Nest users about was 'never supposed to be a secret'". Business Insider. Archived from the original on 2022-08-23. Retrieved 2025-12-16.
- ^ Amadeo, Ron (2019-02-20). "Users alarmed by undisclosed microphone in Nest Security System". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2025-12-15.
- ^ "Google forced to reveal which products have microphones following privacy backlash". Retrieved 2025-12-15.
- ^ Bastone, Nick. "A major privacy advocacy group is calling on the FTC to force Google to divest the Nest business after it failed to let consumers know about a hidden microphone". Business Insider. Retrieved 2025-12-16.
- ^ "EPIC demand: It's time for Google to fly the Nest after 'forgetting' to mention home alarm hub has built-in mic". Archived from the original on 2025-07-09. Retrieved 2025-12-16.
- ^ a b c d "Google must provide details on Nest microphone error". BBC News. 2019-02-28. Retrieved 2025-12-15.
- ^ bio, See full. "Senate demands Google CEO answer for hidden Nest microphone". CNET. Retrieved 2025-12-15.