Someone at Mydata mentioned this interview during our panel last month and finally had a read. Very happy BBC got the Google’s Rick Osterloh to say “I disclose smart speakers to guests.”
After being challenged as to whether homeowners should tell guests smart devices – such as a Google Nest speaker or Amazon Echo display – are in use before they enter the building, he concludes that the answer is indeed yes.
“Gosh, I haven’t thought about this before in quite this way,” Rick Osterloh begins.
“It’s quite important for all these technologies to think about all users… we have to consider all stakeholders that might be in proximity.”
And then he commits.
“Does the owner of a home need to disclose to a guest? I would and do when someone enters into my home, and it’s probably something that the products themselves should try to indicate.”
I very much agree and I think everybody should do this. Will people do this? Not a chance, although I wish they would. I do tend to go into a room and jokily say the different wake words. Just incase…
I remember writing about my Airbnb in Barcelona experience and I have to say Airbnb’s criteria of what a camera is good.
This area of social data surveillance is tricky but something which is being researched/explored by the likes of myself at BBCR&D.