Google's smart speakers are equipped with microphones so that they can hear your commands from across the room. However, those same microphones could also be used for eavesdropping.

Your Google Nest (or Google Home) speaker is always listening out for the "Hey Google" wake word, but people may be concerned by the idea that their audio will be uploaded and stored on Google's servers. Especially as it can be stored for up to 18 months.

So, in this article, we'll look at how your Google Nest speaker is always listening, and how you can stop it from doing so.

How Is Your Google Smart Speaker Data Used?

When you are using Google Assistant, including through your smart speaker, snippets are recorded and analyzed so that it can learn to better serve you.

Every time you ask it a question, whether in casual conversation or to command its help in cooking dinner, it's listening. And when it detects the wake word (in this case, "Hey Google"), it begins streaming what you say and how you say it to Google-owned servers for processing.

Related: Cool Things You Can Do With Your Google Nest Speaker

This means that if you say something out loud that you didn't mean to, there's a chance it could be misinterpreted.

How Big of a Security Risk Is This?

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Even though Google collects your data purely to improve speech recognition accuracy, some people are still nervous about the privacy implications. Because they're always listening, Google Nest/Home devices are always collecting data on their users, even when they don't want them to.

Fortunately, this isn't the end of the world because Google has promised that none of its employees or contractors can access any information about the user until the microphone detects one of two words: "OK" or "Hey Google."

What Are Google's Privacy Obligations?

Unfortunately, when it comes to privacy, Google isn't doing much to reassure its users. If you go to Google's privacy policy, the company says that by using any of its services (including the Google Assistant), you're giving it permission to use your data however it wants, including sharing it with third parties.

This means that if a developer wanted access, they could potentially get access your information and target ads towards you.

The good news is that Google has said it won't share personally identifiable information (such as names or email addresses). Still, the company won't tell users anything more about how it plans to use the data. If you want an explanation of how Google is using your information, you'll have to ask for it.

Ways to Stop Your Google Smart Speaker From Spying on You

Man working on computer below Security heading

Luckily, you can take steps to stop Google from recording everything that you say. If you want to go the extra mile and minimize what information is collected, we recommend taking these steps:

1. Mute the Microphone

Your Google Nest/Home speaker is always listening, but you can easily stop it by pressing the button on the back. What will happen if you switch the microphone off? Your voice or music will no longer be picked up and processed through Google's servers. However, that means you won't be able to give it commands.

If you're looking for the microphone mute button, here are the places to look

  • Google Nest Mini: Look for a small, circular Mic Off switch on the back of the unit near the power cord.
  • Google Nest: Look for the Mute button on the back of the display at the top.
  • Google Nest Max: Same as on the Google Nest, look for the Mute button on the back of the display at the top.

2. Adjust Your Privacy Settings

If you'd like the speaker to be ready for your commands but want to turn off having your audio stored on Google servers, you can do so by adjusting your privacy settings:

  1. Tap your account avatar at the top-right of the Google Home app.
  2. Tap Assistant settings in the pop-up window.
  3. Tap Your data in the Assistant.
  4. Select Web & App Activity and set your desired privacy settings.

3. Delete Your Private Data

If you really want to stop Google from using your data (or at least make it for difficult), you can delete the activity history stored on your account.

To do this, go to your Google Assistant settings and select Your data in the Assistant. You can also choose to delete your activity from other devices about google sites and apps, such as Chrome or YouTube.

Related: Google Chrome Knows Too Much About You: Here's What to Do

But remember, even though you can delete your activity history, it doesn't mean Google has stopped collecting data about you (for example, your location). Still, at least it'll make it harder for Google to link the information it already has with who you are.

4. Choose How Often Your Private Data Will Be Deleted

You can choose to reset the data any time you like. Go into your Google Activity Controls and select Auto-delete.

If you go for Manage activity, it'll mean your past activities will stay on record, but you can delete them whenever. If you choose to delete the activity, the settings will be applied to all devices linked to your Google account (which means it'll take a while to get rid of everything).

5. Delete Your Device From the List

Your final option is to delete your device from your Google account (if you're not planning on using it anymore). To do this, tap on the device in the Google Home app and select Remove.

This will temporarily disable access to the device in question, but if you ever want it back, don't worry, all you need to do is reconnect it.

The Future of Privacy

As cool as personal assistants and smart devices are, they're a double-edged sword. The convenience of hands-free computing always comes hand in hand with privacy and security concerns. But in this day and age, it's better to be safe than sorry.

Though the tech is still in its early stages, these speakers and the digital assistants that power them are the future of how we'll do everything; from checking the weather to getting our morning news. So, it's always a good idea to ask yourself whether or not you're OK with a device collecting data about your life.