Amazon Alexa, Google Home – the biggest privacy threats in smart home devices: study

The global growth of smart homes, which Statista predicts will reach 785.16 million users by 2028, heralds a new era of convenience and connectivity.

However, alongside the benefits of these technologies, data privacy concerns have arisen, questioning the sanctity of our private spaces.

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A recent study by research center Surfshark, “Smart Home Privacy Checker”, revealed disturbing trends. Shockingly, it turns out that one in 10 smart home apps collect user data for tracking purposes.

Major players like Amazon and Google stand out as significant collectors, with their apps consuming massive amounts of the personal data of millions of users every day.

“In today’s world, where convenience often trumps privacy, our research reveals a disturbing trend in apps for smart home devices, especially for large companies like Amazon and Google. This issue goes beyond simple data collection; intrudes into users’ private lives, potentially leading to data theft, security breaches, and uncontrolled sharing of personal data,” Goda Sukackaite, privacy advisor at Surfshark, told Firstpost.

Sukackaite recommends users take proactive steps such as managing privacy settings, reviewing app permissions and staying up to date with data policies on their smart home devices.

The Surfshark study analyzed 290 apps on over 400 Internet of Things (IoT) devices, focusing on the most popular ones. Each app was rigorously assessed across 32 data points, taking into account criteria such as user identification, tracking mechanisms and data linking. As a result of the findings, the applications are ranked based on the scope and type of data collected.

Technologists under the scanner

Amazon’s Alexa app proved to be a significant data aggregator, capturing 28 of 32 possible data points — more than three times the industry average for smart home devices. This includes precise location data, contact details and even health information, all of which is linked in detail to individual user profiles.

Similarly, Google’s suite of smart home devices was found to collect 22 of its 32 data points. It exceeded industry standards with extensive data collection, from addresses and locations to photos, videos, audio recordings and browsing histories.

The cost of convenience

Consumers using smart devices pay a double price: first financially and then with their personal data. These applications often track user behavior in order to tailor advertising or share information with third parties and data brokers.

About a third of these apps focus on collecting detailed data such as device IDs, email addresses and product interactions, and some even track precise locations.

Outdoor security cameras, especially aggressive collectors, collect an average of 12 data points – 50 percent more than other devices.

Apps like Deep Sentinel and Lorex are contributing significantly to increased data collection.

Outdated privacy protocols

The study also revealed a disturbing trend – 12 of the 290 apps analyzed had not updated their data collection practices in over a year. This raises questions about privacy compliance and transparency.

Notably, apps that control children’s toys, such as MekaMon and Cozmo, have been found to collect sensitive data such as exact location, photos and audio recordings.

As smart home devices become more integrated into everyday activities, users must strike a balance – choosing convenience while mitigating the privacy risks posed by these emerging technologies.