Google patents “creepy” toys that listen to you

An Orwellian-styled toy that listens to users has been dubbed “one of Google’s creepiest patents yet”, by firm SmartUp.

SmartUp, a legal tech firm, recently spotted the three-year old patent for devices that would turn their heads towards users and listen to what they were saying, before relaying information to a remote computer.

The patent, which was originally filed back in February 2012 but has only just been published, describes how the toy might respond both by speaking back and by expressing “human-like” expressions of interest, curiosity, boredom and/or surprise.

Its inventor is named as Richard Wayne DeVaul.

The internet-connected toy that can control home appliances has raised the hackles of privacy campaigners.

Emma Carr, director of Big Brother Watch, said: “The privacy concerns are clear when devices have the capacity to record conversations and log activity.

“When those devices are aimed specifically at children, then for many this will step over the creepy line.

“Children should be able to play in private and shouldn’t have to fear this sort of passive invasion of their privacy. It is simply unnecessary,” she added.

Google commented: “We file patent applications on a variety of ideas that our employees come up with.

“Some of those ideas later mature into real products or services, some don’t. Prospective product announcements should not necessarily be inferred from our patent applications,”