Do I Need to Disclose My Smart Devices to Guests?
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Do you have a moral obligation to tell someone that you have a smart speaker, camera, or display in your home somewhere? Does it make a difference if the person lives with you or if you’re having some friends over? With the majority of homes now having them, does it seem like overkill, or do you feel like you have a responsibility to let people know? Google’s senior vice president of devices and services, Rick Osterloh, in a recent interview, shared a concern,
“It’s quite important for all these technologies to think about all users... we have to consider all stakeholders that might be in proximity. 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.”
It could be a bit overkill to announce to guests that you own or use a smart speaker. These devices don’t listen to you unless you say the specific wake word that you use. After that, recordings can happen, sure, but I think most people at a social setting, or a party aren’t going to let their innermost secrets slip just because someone (or someone on the TV) said “Alexa” or “Hey Google.” Most people have a basic idea of what devices look like, and the fact that they light up when they are working. If it is a real concern, you can always change the name of your device to “Echo” as that is a less common word and is less likely to be uttered in conversation.
Likewise, most people are aware of what a doorbell camera looks like, and how it works. When they arrive at your home, they should assume that they are being recorded, and if they happen to have an AFV moment, you should definitely plan to split the winnings and make sure you have their permission before sharing the footage!
It is a different story if you have an always on device. If you have a camera in your home that is always recording, you should make your guests aware of it. People might not realize that your pretty smart display’s tiny green light means that the camera is on and recording everything that happens in front of it. Hopefully your guests don’t decide to get naked or do not engage in any inappropriate behavior that would need to be verified on the camera later, but they should be made aware of the existence of it anyways.
So, the long and short of it is…… if you have an always-on recording device in your home, you should definitely let your guests know about it, where it is and what it does. You don’t want to accidentally catch anyone changing clothes, picking their noses, or making out with the neighbor. But, if you’re simply sporting a smart speaker, announcing its presence is less of necessary,
As always, if we can help you with any of these smart home devices, we are happy to provide you with a consultation at any time. Just contact us here.