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Safety Commission Responds to EPIC's Google Home Mini Complaint
The Consumer Product Safety Commission responded to a complaint from EPIC and a coalition of consumer groups, urging the Commission to order the recall of the Google Home Mini "smart speaker." The touchpad on the device was permanently set to "on" so that Google recorded all conversations without a consumer's knowledge or consent. The groups wrote "this is a classic manufacturing defect that places consumers at risk. The defect in Google Home Mini is well within the purview of the Consumer Product Safety Commission." In the response, the Commission claimed that it monitors the hazards of IoT but said that it does not pursue privacy or data security issues. IoT devices are frequently the target of botnet attacks. According to Hacker News, "the DDoS threat landscape is skyrocketing" and the UK National Cyber Security Centre's report has called for comprehensive safeguards for IoT devices. EPIC Senior Counsel Alan Butler has written about products liability for IoT manufacturers.
April 2, 2018| Share:
