Google eavesdropping tool installed on computers without permission

Privacy advocates claim always-listening component was involuntarily activated within Chromium, potentially exposing private conversations

Privacy campaigners and open source developers are up in arms over the secret installing of Google software which is capable of listening in on conversations held in front of a computer.

First spotted by open source developers, the Chromium browser - the open source basis for Google's Chrome - began remotely installing audio-snooping code that was capable of listening to users.