Google developing 1984-type telescreen software

Given the furor caused when AOL released searches on the internet, there might be more than a few civil liberties activists less than happy for Google to put this idea into practice. Also, given that Google provides the software link between its search software and the microphone, it’s a small step to making the same link to any webcams attached to the PC. Pretty soon the security industry is going to find a way to hijack the Google feed and use it for full on espionage.
Google says that its fingerprinting technology makes it impossible for the company (or anyone else) to eavesdrop on other sounds in the room, such as personal conversations, because the conversion to a fingerprint is made on the PC, and a fingerprint can’t be reversed, as it’s only an identity. But we should think that “spyware” might take on an extra meaning if someone less scrupulous decided on a similar piece of software.

tehrantimes.com