Home > Latest News > Serious Concerns Over Big Brands Data Capture Including Officeworks Cameras

Serious Concerns Over Big Brands Data Capture Including Officeworks Cameras

Serious questions are being raised as to why sound Companies such as Sonos and Bose along with Google and Apple, Samsung and LG and Chinese security cameras sold by Officeworks, need to know your location every hour of the day.

In the UK Which, a not-for-profit consumer service, similar to Choose in Australia, has raised serious concerns about the amount of data devices such as networked speakers are actually capturing and more so what for.

Questions have also been raised in the past as to whether data, captured in the home or a business via voice activated devices, is being sold to third parties who then try to sell another service based on information gleaned from both.

Which has revealed a plethora of smart home devices that are using data unbeknownst to homeowners.

During their investigation they discovered that several major Companies are collecting data that racks the location, economic status, and consumption practises of users.

Manufacturers claim that data captured from one of their voices activated, or security camera devices are only used to make the products more efficient and streamlined for the consumer.

Which claims that manufacturers are building consumer ‘profiles and home information that can be used to deliver targeted ads.

They also claim that data can be sold on to other companies to target ads at the consumer.

Which discovered different practises in the way that data is collected by Apple and Android products.

Google Nest, Bose, and Sonos requested precise location data on Android devices, where as Apple users were only asked this same data by Amazon Echo.

This is down to differing business models between Android and Apple, Google garners revenue form advertising while Apple mainly sells hardware. This is particularly prevalent in smart speakers.

In home security, smart cameras and doorbells are using location tracking as a default.

On Android apps, Arlo, Eufy and Ring want permission for background location, meaning they could track users even when they are not using the app.

All permissions are activated by default and while consumers can opt out, this requires changing the settings and could lead to aspects of the device or app no longer fully working.

Which found that Chinese brand Ezviz’s devices which are being openly sold by Officeworks, had by far the most tracking active.

It appears that Officeworks has no concerns about the amount of confidential information the Chinese cameras are able to capture after only recently ranging the Chinese manufactured cameras.

Most TV brands use a system called automatic content recognition (ACR) to track consumers, it can track you via an app on the system or even through a connected device.

Most TV tracking is optional, so a consumer has to agree to it before the brand will do anything. However, LG, Samsung, and Sony bundle this up into an ‘accept all’ button.

Even washing machines are harvesting data, with multiple companies needing users’ date of birth – although this is optional on Beko machines, LG and Hoover will not allow use of the app without knowing when customers were born. LG wants the most data of all the washing machine brands, asking for the customer’s name, date of birth, email, phone contact book, precise location, and phone number. The constant use of data begs the question is it worth the added efficiency of smart home products if the data is also being sold to marketing companies?

Under the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR), companies have to be transparent about the data they collect and how it is processed. The data collected must be relevant and limited to what is necessary for the processing to take place. Google replied to the Which article by saying: “Google fully complies with applicable privacy laws and provides transparency to our users regarding the data we collect and how we use it.”

Which recommends a number of tips to protect user’s privacy, including opting out of data sharing during set up and checking permissions, or denying access in app or on a phone. Which also recommends deleting recordings form voice recordings and reading the privacy terms and conditions, although this may take a while.

In the case of Samsung Health apps which are linked with a Samsung watch are become inoperable unless you give the South Korean Company person to access confidential data.



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