Amazon Alexa And Google Are A Major Privacy Threat, Collecting Sensitive Data: Study

Smart home devices do make our lives easy but at what cost? According to a new study conducted by Surfshark’s research hub, the Smart Home Privacy Checker, reveals that one in ten smart home devices or apps collects your personal data for tracking purposes, with Amazon Alexa and Google being the most data-hungry devices.

Are Smart Home Apps Spying On You?

The concerning details from the reports of Surfshark highlight Google and Amazon at the top of the data-hungry charts. The details of the test have also been shared with the company which is also known for its VPN services.

Image Courtesy: CNET

The platform tested 290 applications resulting in Amazon Alexa being the biggest defaulter when it comes to sourcing data through these devices by collecting 28 out of the possible 32 data points. The second on the list, Google was found to gather 22 points out of the possible 32 data points.

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Collecting Sensitive Data: A Worrying Trend In Smart Home Apps

In an interview with Firstpost, Goda Sukackaite, privacy counsel at Surfshark said, “In today’s world, where convenience often trumps privacy, our research reveals a worrying trend in smart home device apps, especially from major companies like Amazon and Google. This issue goes beyond mere data collection; it intrudes into users’ private lives, potentially leading to data theft, security breaches, and the uncontrolled sharing of personal information.''

Image Courtesy: The Verge

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Goda further advises the smart home app users to take preventive measures such as reviewing privacy settings, minimising app permissions, and being informed about data policies governing these devices.

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