[ad_1]
After the goofing of the privacy of Google's home security system Nest, US lawmakers want answers.
On Monday, Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, sent a letter to Google CEO Sundar Pichai asking for information on the technology giant's inability to reveal to consumers a microphone in Nest Secure devices.
"In recent years, consumers are increasingly concerned about the ability of large technology companies to collect and use personal data about them without their knowledge," says the letter. "Therefore, it is extremely important that companies like Google are completely transparent to consumers and fully disclose all the technical specifications of their products at the point of sale."
The letter, which was also signed by the chairs of the subcommittees, Sens. Jerry Moran of Kansas and John Thune of South Dakota reported on a hearing before the Senate last September, when Google's Privacy Officer Keith Enright told users at the service.
Recent revelations, however, have prompted the Senate committee to question Google on issues of privacy and consumer protection.
"Google's failure to disclose a microphone in its Nest Secure product raises serious questions about its commitment to transparency and consumer disclosure," the letter says.
The Senate committee is asking Google to provide written responses by March 12th to six questions about the initially undisclosed microphone of its Nest Secure devices, including how and when it discovered that a microphone was not on the fact sheets for consumers and he was aware of the existence of a microphone. third parties using the microphone "for unauthorized purposes".
The committee also requested that staff be made aware of the situation in person no later than March 29th.
Several lawmakers who spoke to Business Insider last week voiced concerns about the hidden microphone and its implications for consumer privacy.
Read more: Democratic presidential candidates tear Google to the hidden Nest microphone and demand the ingredient labels of the tech gadget
Senator Mark Warner of Virginia, a privacy advocate and vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Google's failure to disclose the components of its security device was "totally contrary to consumer expectations ".
"The standard argument that consumers do not care about privacy is increasingly refuted because we are learning that consumers and policy makers have been kept in the dark for years about data collection and marketing practices, "Warner said. "Responsible federal agencies and the US Congress must hold hearings to highlight the dark entrails of the digital economy."
Senator Kamala Harris of California, a Democratic presidential candidate in 2020, told Business Insider that "Americans should not have to worry about the products of their house being able to spy on them".
"" It's easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission "or" it's all the details ", it's not privacy protection policies that work, but those are the ones on which Technology companies routinely use it, "Harris said.
Read the full letter to Pichai below or here.
[ad_2]
Source link