"My Google Home Mini was inadvertently spying on me 24/7 due to a hardware flaw,” wrote a tech blogger who purchased Google Inc.’s latest internet of things (IoT) device. Following the incident, a pact of consumer advocacy groups insisted the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recall the Google smart speaker due to privacy concerns arising when the device recorded all audio without voice command prompts.

The CPSC is charged with protecting consumers from products that pose potential hazards. Traditionally, this has meant hazards that may cause physical injury or property damage. But as internet-connected household products continue to proliferate, issues like the “always-on” Google Home Mini raise an important question: Where does cybersecurity of consumer IoT devices fit within the current legal framework governing consumer products?

Originally published in Law 360 on January 5, 2018.