I had a similar experience when I got my new smart thermostat installed. Everything seemed straightforward until it started prompting me to use voice commands for temperature adjustments. At first, I thought, "Cool, hands-free control," but then I paused and wondered why exactly I'd need to talk to my thermostat when the app or manual controls were already pretty simple.
Ended up spending a good half-hour digging through privacy settings and toggling off the microphone permissions. Felt oddly reassuring to know I wasn't giving yet another device access to listen in. Honestly, I get the convenience factor—especially if your hands are busy cooking or whatever—but sometimes it feels like companies are just adding microphones because they can, not because it's genuinely useful or comfortable for users.
It's good you found that privacy toggle buried in the oven settings. Manufacturers really should make these privacy options clearer and easier to find. Seems like they're banking on most people not bothering to check, which is a bit unsettling. I'm definitely making it a habit now to comb through settings whenever I bring home new tech... better safe than sorry.
