Should people disclose 'Smart' devices in their homes to guests?

[Stelio Kontos]

I'd say a homeowner *should* tell guests, but I don't believe there should be a law requiring it.

[vindicatorx]

Yes they should. It's not ethical to record people's conversations without their knowledge. Personally, i would not leave, but i´d definitely change my behaviour around observation devices.

No, that is stupid. If you are not in your own home you have zero expectation of privacy

[vindicatorx]

I have every expectation of privacy when entering a friend's home. Out and about or some publicly accessible place or venue, limited. But in someone's private rooms? Yeah, I expect that.

Well you shouldn't You can expect whatever you want but in the real world there is no expectation of privacy unless it's in your home.

[avitush]

I would personally never use those devices (less of a tinfoil hat thing and more that I'm just somewhat old fashioned and don't mind getting up to turn on a radio or adjust the thermostat or whatever). But then I carry a smartphone (as do other people in my house), have multiple PC's/laptops in my house connected to the Internet, etc. Hell, my washing machine has some app that will send me an alert when the cycle is done. If I were really paranoid about stuff like Google Home, I'd not have any of that other stuff turned on either.

I do think you should disclose that sort of thing to any guests in your home and let them decide what to do, especially if it's something that can record them or conversations. It's not as big of a deal in public because I don't have as much of a privacy expectation (I'd know not to go blabbing any sensitive/personal stuff while I'm at the bank and know good and well there are cameras on me, for example), but that'd be a little different at a trusted friend's house.

[Flutterguy]

Look, if you can't see the giant camcorder duct taped to the ceiling in the bathroom, I don't know what to tell you.
It's a joke.

[Kokolums]

I think where smart devices REALLY start to creep most people out is when it starts listening to your kids, because theoretically it could be used to accuse you of being a bad parent inside your home.

[Sylvandoh]

You're at my place? Then my expectation of safety supersedes your expectation of privacy. Not happy? Leave, and don't come back.

[unbound]

You really should disclose the technology. It is, in reality, always listening (or else it could never turn on). The PR is that the devices are supposed to not record anything until the magic (aka wake) word is said, but there have been several incidents where the device was fully activated based on TV or misunderstood words used in a conversation (https://www.kiro7.com/www.kiro7.com/...tact/755507974), and we know that the devices are always recording a few seconds before the wake word (https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/...814002/)...and it is extremely likely that far more is recorded due to those misheard wake words than any of the companies report.