Your Google security system could be spying on you! Firm is forced to apologise to Nest users after it has a secret microphone built-in Google apologises for not mentioning the presence of a microphone in Nest The tiny mic is located inside Nest Guard, the control hub of the security system The 'error' only surfaced when the US firm told users to voice activate the Guard The mic was apparently added with future sound sensor features in mindBy Yuan Ren For Mailonline Published: 15:59 GMT, 20 February 2019 | Updated: 17:14 GMT, 20 February 2019 11 Viewcomments Imagine a tiny microphone was planted in a device in your home and you had no idea for months, until this week. On Tuesday, Google apologised to users of its Nest home security system for not specifying a built-in microphone its hardware details. Its existence only became apparent when a software update to Nest earlier this month gave users access to the voice-activated helper, Google Assistant on the Nest Guard. Users then realised that a microphone of some sort must already be inside the hardware to pick up the voice commands. Google had not previously included the feature as a component of the system in its online product specifications. The company has said that an 'error' meant the detail was not included in the information about the device, but added that the microphone was 'never intended to be a secret'. The product page for Nest has since been update to include the microphone. Google has apologised to users of its Nest Secure alarm system after admitting a microphone lay in its home security device, details of which it had not previously disclosed. The tech giant said an 'error' meant the mic was not listed in the specifications for the product, but that its existence was 'never intended to be a secret'. The news came about when Google announced updates to the Nest system that would allow it to be compatible with Google Assistant, a voice controlled AI software that responds to voice activated commands. Makes say that the mic was initially incorporated into the Nest Guard for future sound-activated features A Google spokesman said: 'The on-device microphone was never intended to be a secret and should have been listed in the tech specs. That was an error on our part. The microphone has never been on and is only activated when users specifically enable the option. 'Security systems often use microphones to provide features that rely on sound sensing. We included the mic on the device so that we can potentially offer additional features to our users in the future, such as the ability to detect broken glass.' Google Assistant is powered by artificial intelligence to answer queries and commands through voice. The Nest Guard is part the Nest alarm system which is intended for users new to home security systems and includes a motion sensor, keypad and motion sensor. Silkie Carlo, director of UK-based privacy campaign group Big Brother Watch, said the incident would do little to help public trust around smart home devices. 'It is hard to believe Google cares about people's privacy after selling a security product with a secret microphone in it,' she said. 'This appears to be deceptive rather than a 'mistake', which is incredibly damaging for public trust in Google. Many of our worries about smart home devices appear to be proving true. 'This market is normalising the disturbing notion of tech giants constant listening within the privacy of our homes. Google should be held to account for wrongly advertising this product.' HOW IS GOOGLE ASSISTANT GETTING SMARTER? At the search giant's annual I/O developer conference, CEO Sundar Pichai unveiled a new technology called 'Duplex' that enables its Google Assistant to make phone calls in real-time with actual humans. It can book a hair appointment and reserve a table for you at your favorite restaurant, among other things. That's on top of a slew of other tools that Google says can make it easier than ever for you to interact with your smart devices. Duplex, which Pichai says the firm has been working on 'for many years', will be rolling out to a limited number of users for now. Pichai showed off the new technology at the I/O conference, which kicked off on Tuesday in Mountain View, California and runs through Thursday. In a demo, Google Assistant dials up a local hair salon to schedule an appointment. First, a user asks Google Assistant to make them a hair appointment, which prompts Assistant to make the phone call. It sounds like any other women talking, but one half of the conversation is being held by Google's AI-infused digital assistant. Google Assistant is able to work out a time and date for the appointment, even when the salon employee says there are no appointments available at the time the Assistant originally suggested. Assistant then sends a notification to the user to let them know that an appointment has been scheduled. Share or comment on this article: All rights reserved for this news site dailymail and under his responsibility