A California consumer recently sued The Home Depot and Google for wiretapping and privacy law violations. See complaint. What did these companies allegedly do? Something you would never expect!
Apparently, sine 2021, The Home Depot has been utilizing a Google service called Cloud Contact Center AI. It monitors and analyzes customer service calls in real time, and based on the information being talked about in the call, Google provides suggestions to the live Home Depot agent of what to say to the consumer next.
*MOUSE PRINT:
The consumer says:
23. Plaintiff was not aware, and had no reason to believe, that his communications were simultaneously being disclosed to a third party: Google. Plaintiff was not informed at the beginning of his calls that Google would be monitoring and recording the calls.
24. When Plaintiff spoke with human Home Depot customer service representatives, he had a reasonable expectation that the conversation was only between himself and Home Depot.
It is unclear, if like most companies, The Home Depot announces that calls are being recorded. Even if it does, such a statement clearly does not disclose, that another company, Google, is also listening in.
Under the California Invasion of Privacy Act it is illegal for anyone without authorization who “reads, or attempts to read, or learn the contents or meaning of any message, report, or communication while the same is in transit or passing over any wire, line, or cable…”
The consumer’s lawyers are asking the court to grant injunctive relief to have the companies immediately stop the practices complained of unless all parties to the conversation have been informed of and agreed to the practice.
How do you feel about a company secretly using AI (artificial intelligence) to analyze customer service conversations?
I deeply value my privacy, which is why I don’t use G-Mail, am not on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, nor do I subscribe to YouTube. I try hard not to keep my photo from being posted online. I don’t own a smart phone or a door cam and I drive an older car all because my privacy is important. I limit my posts online. Bottom-line: I wouldn’t want Google listening into my conversation.
The average American is in a tough place. Unlike in Europe, we have very few human rights and no privacy. What Home Depot and Google are doing is morally wrong. Humans deserve privacy, full information, and the right to own their person and their data. But here, in America, we have the best representatives money can buy and Silicon Valley has paid for them in full…
Edgar says “Something you’d never expect!” , but sadly it IS certainly expected and will continue to become more prevalent. For every Home Depot, there’s probably another 100 companies implementing similar ‘eavesdropping’. With AI growing exponentially, the landscape of the future , even the very near-future, is startlingly unsettled.
Future generations will ask what the word “privacy” even means, like today’s is befuddled with the notion of “repairing” something. But, as no one laments the loss of buggy whips or powdered wigs, the world keeps spinning. Is it progress??? I’d say yes.
I’m more mad they’re using automated systems to provide mostly useless responses to consumer questions. I’m sick and tired of talking to bots and other “AI” generated answers. 9 times out of 10 the responses accomplish nothing but further wasting my time
You’re absolutely right about that. Drives me insane!
Home Depot is likely going to replace the human customer service reps completely (in time) with AI Virtual Assistant. In court, HD will say that they own or license the software so Google is not a 3rd party “listening.”
Anything that will help customer service teams actually provide, you know, service is a benefit in the long run. The difference-maker, to me, is whether HD supplies my name or phone number to Google without my consent. (I’d likely give consent, for what that’s worth, if this service actually got me correct and useful answers. Google search and Gmail already have this info in spades, and if, say, a customer can’t tell the difference between a chisel and a screwdriver, well, Google probably knows that already.)
Each and every week, Consumer World brings us stories with a common theme: How big companies screw us consumers one way or another. They have no shame — none.
Is Google saving the calls or just processing it in real time?
If just processing, how is that different from all the other telecommunications systems the call flows through?
What if the application ran on a Home Depot server rather than the cloud?
What if the cloud server (hosted by Google), is dedicated to Home Depot?
What about all the customer relations (and other) applications that use Cloud Hosting or Cloud services?
Realistically, other than saving recordings (if done), this is a non-issue.
If Google isn’t recording the call or tying the call to me personally through voice recognition or by capturing personally-identifiable information, then I’m not too bothered by this. Unless the AI is trained to never suggest, “I’m very sorry to hear that; we are going to issue you a full refund.”
It’s not like I’m frequently delighted by the knowledge and generosity of customer support agents. So if AI can help them provide quicker and more helpful responses, I approve.
But … somehow I expect that Google IS identifying me, in which case, I disapprove.
And that’s one man’s opinions.
Who cares? There are so many things to worry about in life and this certainly isn’t one of those.
They will simply add a disclaimer about Google and there will be no way to opt out. Either you agree to it or you don’t get customer service.