Google’s discontinued Nest Learning Thermostats continue to upload home data to company servers even after losing smart features, raising serious privacy concerns. A security researcher named Cody Kociemba uncovered this data flow after participating in a repair bounty challenge organized by FULU, a right-to-repair group.
Kociemba discovered that these early Nest thermostats still send detailed logs to Google, even though the remote control functionality was disabled. The data includes temperature readings, user interactions, and scheduling information, despite the fact that support for the device has officially ended. This highlights a broader issue of data collection by companies long after the cessation of product support.
The ongoing data flow creates a one-way connection which benefits Google more than the customers, as the company can’t use this data to address customer issues since support has been discontinued. The issue raises questions about user transparency and control over personal data. Kociemba’s discovery came to light through his work on the No Longer Evil software, which aims to restore smart features to these aging thermostats.
In response, Google stated that diagnostic logs will continue to be sent for service and issue tracking, and users can opt to disable these logs by disconnecting their devices from Wi-Fi. This revelation has sparked discussions about privacy in smart homes and the potential for data collection even after devices are no longer supported.