In an increasingly digital world, privacy and data collection have become a hot-button issue. Companies may collect data from their customers for a multitude of reasons, including data metrics, personal profiling, and creating targeted ads. Consumers, however, often feel that their privacy is being violated. According to Business News Daily, an Ipsos poll found that 70% of Americans feel that it has become harder for them to safeguard their data.
This sentiment might not just be paranoia. With smartphones and devices found in every room, collecting data such as geographical location and health metrics, more personal data than ever is being funneled to data collectors.
While many consumers are aware of the data collected from their phones, there are other devices in their homes they should start to suspect—including their fridge or even their coffee maker. Now that smart home apps are being integrated into many appliances, data collectors have more opportunities than ever before to track consumer information, and they often share what they collect with third parties.
Why Websites Collect Data
Websites and online applications track and collect user data for many reasons, some of them being useful or necessary for their usage. According to the FTC, reasons for collecting user data include saving user preferences and account information, creating personalized content, such as local weather and news stories, saving user search histories, and creating personalized ads based on browsing histories.
While much data collection is performed by the websites or apps that you access, this information can also be shared with other companies, known as third-party tracking. The widespread use of third-party tracking in data collection means that consumers can have their personal data and metrics shared with companies they’re not even aware of.
Consumers have started to become more aware that their data is being collected while browsing, but they may not be as aware that smart home apps have started bringing data collection into the home. According to World Economic Forum, over 130 million households have at least one smart speaker, over 73 million households have at least one smart large appliance, such as a refrigerator, and over 72 million households have at least one smart small appliance, such as a coffee maker. Much like smartphones, these appliances are frequently connected to the local network and perform both first-party and third-party tracking measures.
Smart Devices and Your Data
With smart devices filling every corner of homes, consumers should be aware of which ways these devices can share their data. According to Surfshark, a Virtual Private Network (VPN) provider, one in ten smart home apps use tracking, including third-party tracking, and kitchen devices are one of the biggest categories for data collection.
“These companies use your personal information for commercial purposes like targeted advertising, credit risk assessment, or market research,” states Vaiva Norkunaite from Surfshark Press, “Thus, you might end up paying twice for using these apps — once for the device and again with your data.”
Using their Surfshark’s Smart Home Privacy Checker, Surfshark performed an analysis of commonly used smart home devices. Of all of these, they found that Amazon’s Alexa collects the most data, with 28 out of 32 possible data points.
This puts the data collection by Alexa at more than three times the average for a smart home device. Some of this data collected is categorized as “sensitive information,” which can include “racial or ethnic data, sexual orientation, pregnancy or childbirth information, disability, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, political opinion, genetic information, or biometric data,” as stated by the Apple Store website.
How to Guard Your Data From Being Shared
With so much data being collected and shared, users may wonder what they can do to guard against their information being shared. While tossing these devices out the window might be tempting, there are measures and precautions users can take when using these devices.
For web browsing, the FTC recommends frequently clearing your data history and deleting cookies, as well as adjusting your privacy settings on your browser. When using smart home devices, Surfshark recommends that consumers find and utilize privacy settings and manage app permissions. Staying informed about the data security policies of smart devices that you purchase and use is also crucial.
Taking Control of Your Data
Smart devices are everywhere, from phones to speakers to refrigerators. While these devices offer everyday conveniences, they can come at the cost of privacy concerns. Every day, these devices collect data on their users, which often get shared with third parties. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t fight back. By staying informed on who collects your data and why, you can take back some control of your data and privacy.
As smart home devices are becoming more and more common, it is important to be aware of the risks that can come to your personal data. It is vital to understand how to guard your data to keep your information safe.
