Safeguarding Privacy From Smart Home Devices
Smart devices have surged to nearly 18.8 billion worldwide, many collecting personal data. Protect your privacy by securing devices, updating firmware, and limiting data sharing.
NEW YORK — Did you know the number of smart devices worldwide has surged from 10 billion in 2019 to nearly 18.8 billion by the end of 2024. With this rapid growth in smart device usage, there's a fair chance we all have at least one smart home device in our home, starting from robot vacuum cleaners to security cameras, AI refrigerators, smart cooking appliances and more. While these gadgets bring incredible convenience, they also come with a hidden risk of exposing your personal data.
Here's how some most common smart home devices store the data:
Robot vacuum cleaners
Robot vacuums are equipped with advanced mapping technology. They use cameras and sensors to scan your home's layout, every corner, furniture placement, and obstacles that are digitally recorded. While this helps with cleaning efficiency, much of that data is stored in the cloud and shared with third parties to improve AI or form partnerships, raising privacy concerns.
Smart TVs
Remember how you watch a TV show or a movie, and it starts suggesting similar content? Smart TVs track your viewing habits through Automated Content Recognition (ACR), identifying everything from live TV to streaming. This data is sent to manufacturers and often sold to advertisers to create detailed viewer profiles for personalized recommendations.
Voice assistants
“Alexa, how's the weather today?" Makes your life easier, doesn't it? Devices like Amazon Echo, Google Nest or Apple HomePod are designed to listen for wake words like "Alexa" or "Hey Google." But privacy researchers warn that these assistants can sometimes misinterpret background noises or conversations, inadvertently recording audio clips. These snippets are stored on cloud servers, and in many cases, reviewed by human contractors for quality control, raising serious concerns about what private moments are being overheard and stored.
Security cameras
Perhaps the most privacy-invasive of them all, smart security cameras often operate on continuous recording modes. For both indoor cameras and video doorbells, footage is typically stored on company servers, and in some cases, accessible to law enforcement upon request.
Smart home appliances
AI-powered refrigerators, ovens, and dishwashers track how often and when you use them. Some appliances even send alerts when you're low on items or suggest recipes, all based on your usage behavior. This means your lifestyle habits are being constantly analyzed and monetized.
Safety tips
- Secure your Wi-Fi network: Use strong, unique passwords for your Wi-Fi and enable WPA3 encryption.
- Use strong, unique passwords for devices: Make sure to change the default passwords set by the brand when you purchased them and set strong, unique passwords for each smart device.
- Regularly update device firmware: Keep all your smart devices updated with the latest firmware and software patches.
- Limit data sharing settings: Adjust and restrict unnecessary data collection. Disable features like voice recordings, storage or location tracking when not essential.
- Disable unused features and voice activation: Turn off features you don't use, especially always-on listening modes or remote access.
- Choose trusted brands: Opt for reputable brands with a strong security track record. They're more likely to offer regular updates and robust data protection.
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