Google Chromecast with Google TV
Review date: 11/02/2020
"Hey Google!" That will become your new favorite saying if you go the route of Chromecast, now with Google TV. This little dongle lets you stream what you're watching or listening to on your phone or tablet to your TV. And the new Google TV puts all the content from all your streaming services on the screen in one place. Just say, "Hey Google, show me rom coms," and all the rom coms from Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and more will appear on screen. Nifty.
What could happen if something goes wrong
Google seems to do a better job than some of the other Big Tech companies when it comes to privacy. We like that users are now automatically opted out of Google's human review of voice recordings. However, Google does collect a ton of data on you, especially if you don't take the time to adjust your privacy setting to lock down just how much info they can gather. We recognize it is time consuming to have to go in and adjust setting in apps and on your phone and on your computer to protect your privacy. If you don't take the time, it's possible Google can get to know you really well, maybe too well. Google knows that you like to watch sappy rom coms at certain times each month and starts treating you with ads for chocolate and wine and you fall into a rut of watching movies and eating chocolate and drinking wine and, you know what, that doesn't sound so bad. Maybe it's OK Google knows you so well. Maybe it's creepy.
Privacy
Can it snoop on me?
Camera
Device: No
App: Yes
Microphone
Device: Yes
App: Yes
Tracks Location
Device: No
App: Yes
What is required to sign up?
Yes
Phone
No
Third party account
No
What data does it collect?
Personal
Name, email, phone number
Biometric
Voice recordings
Social
How does it use this data?
How can you control your data?
What is the company’s known track record for protecting users’ data?
In 2018, personal information was exposed in several incidents, resulting from access by app developers, exposure by mobile apps, or a bug in Google + API. Google has also stored location data without permission.
Can this product be used offline?
User friendly privacy information?
Links to privacy information
Security
Does this product meet our Minimum Security Standards?
Encryption
Uses encryption in transit and at rest.
Strong password
Security updates
Manages vulnerabilities
Google has a Security Rewards program, which means that anyone who finds a security issue and discloses it responsibly may get paid. https://www.google.com/about/appsecurity/programs-home/
Privacy policy
Google has several privacy pages explaining its approach to privacy in simple language.
Artificial Intelligence
Does the product use AI?
Does the AI use your personal data to make decisions about you?
Does the company allow users to see how the AI works?
Google publishes academic papers about its AI research (https://ai.google/) and makes several tools available via open source. https://ai.google/tools/
