While it may well again be a very controversial decision but Google has again decided to start the practice of making its human employees listen to the voice recordings of users in order to evaluate the audio transcribing ability of its line of products.
However, this time Google has things under control as they have shut down the particular service for all users and will only listen to the audios from users who have chosen to opt-in beforehand.
Google sent an email on Wednesday to all the users who have been using the company’s products that are based on voice commands including Google Maps and the extremely popular Assistant now. The email told the users that all of them have been automatically opted out from the option of letting Google listen to their personal audios and therefore if anyone wants to participate in audio sharing, Google further gave a link where people could register.
According to a spokesperson from Google, the search engine has updated its settings and are now in the process of improving its products like Google Assistant. So, to add up more features and make the interaction more human-like, the developers are required more audio recordings for which the company has chosen to ask for preference.
Till last year, Google was relying on the bad option of third-party human listeners who kept on listening to audio recordings on behalf of Google to evaluate the AI transcribed audio. But after the widespread backlash, the company was forced to stop the practice in last September. Hence, this time Google though to add every little detail for the users who are opting in to contribute so that they don’t have to face any problem in the near future.
Google is not alone that has been continuing with this kind of privacy breach for quite a long time now. Facebook, Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon faced the similar criticism on the issue last year.
In the email, Google has openly stated that people who are ready to opt-in will have their audio recordings connected to the account for 18 months. After that, the recordings will vanish and be submitted for human review.
H/T: TheVerge.
Read next: Google’s new Chrome extension gives some insights about ads to the users
However, this time Google has things under control as they have shut down the particular service for all users and will only listen to the audios from users who have chosen to opt-in beforehand.
Google sent an email on Wednesday to all the users who have been using the company’s products that are based on voice commands including Google Maps and the extremely popular Assistant now. The email told the users that all of them have been automatically opted out from the option of letting Google listen to their personal audios and therefore if anyone wants to participate in audio sharing, Google further gave a link where people could register.
According to a spokesperson from Google, the search engine has updated its settings and are now in the process of improving its products like Google Assistant. So, to add up more features and make the interaction more human-like, the developers are required more audio recordings for which the company has chosen to ask for preference.
Till last year, Google was relying on the bad option of third-party human listeners who kept on listening to audio recordings on behalf of Google to evaluate the AI transcribed audio. But after the widespread backlash, the company was forced to stop the practice in last September. Hence, this time Google though to add every little detail for the users who are opting in to contribute so that they don’t have to face any problem in the near future.
Google is not alone that has been continuing with this kind of privacy breach for quite a long time now. Facebook, Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon faced the similar criticism on the issue last year.
In the email, Google has openly stated that people who are ready to opt-in will have their audio recordings connected to the account for 18 months. After that, the recordings will vanish and be submitted for human review.
H/T: TheVerge.
Read next: Google’s new Chrome extension gives some insights about ads to the users
