Camera Speakers Normalize In‑Home Vision

Smart speakers are adding cameras that let voice assistants see the room, identify objects, and stream video, shifting them from audio‑only helpers to visual sensors in private spaces. Even when manufacturers offer camera‑free models or mute buttons, feature gating (subscriptions) and defaults create incentives to normalize continuous visual sensing. — This matters because normalizing vision in always‑on home devices changes privacy expectations, creates new surveillance chokepoints controlled by platform companies, and channels more everyday commerce through assistants.