It’s no secret our devices spy on us. The shocker is that it goes way beyond smartphones and laptops. That smart fridge of yours just might be tracking your eating habits and selling them to advertisers. Still want another beer?
Research group Which? discovered many of our favorite household appliances and gadgets share private information with tech giants like Google, Amazon, Facebook and TikTok. Surprise, these companies take far more data than they need for the device to function correctly. How cute.
Washing your every move
Which? researchers found the Google Nest suite of products, which includes everything from doorbell cameras to heating control systems, gathers a “huge amount” of location information.
Users who connect to the devices through Android smartphones are the most vulnerable. They don’t collect as much info on iPhone users.
Bose smart speakers share user data with Facebook’s parent company, Meta. Many smart camera and doorbell brands Which? studied used Google’s tracking services. Blink and Ring also connect to their parent company, Amazon.
In the appliance arena, LG collects the most data of all the washing machine brands, including your precise location and phone contacts. Ya know, in case your neighbor’s missing sock winds up in your dryer.
Who’s data is it anyway?
You may think your smart speakers and doorbell only share information if you allow it. True … sorta. Some tracking functions are automatically activated by default. Ultimately, it’s up to you to opt out.
There’s also a chance you were tricked into opting in. Many smart TVs personalize advertisements based on user data. You might have unknowingly agreed during setup by clicking an “accept all” button.
Google says it “fully complies with applicable privacy laws and provides transparency to our users regarding the data we collect and how we use it.” I guess “transparent” means getting your magnifying glass to comb through the terms and conditions.
Amazon says it designs products “to protect its customers’ privacy and security and to put customers in control of their experience.” Wouldn’t it be nice if us little ol’ users like us actually felt in control?
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