When you buy a smart device, such as a smart speaker, smart TV, streaming device, smart washing machine, smart security camera, video doorbell, or smartphone, you’re paying with more than money. You’re also paying with the personal data these devices collect, such as your location, the contacts in your address book, and more.
When it comes to data collection, it’s a bit of a balancing act. Some of it is non-negotiable – essential for the app’s core functions and updates. But I also know other bits are heading to third parties, serving their purposes. And honestly? I think it’s worth it.
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What data do smart devices collect?
Different devices collect various types of personal data
When you use the wake word, Alexa speakers record your vocal requests. They capture what you ask for, which services you use, and when. Alexa uses your location to deliver responses relevant to you and where you live. You may need to provide information, such as your name and date of birth, when signing up for an account.
Smart TVs use automatic content recognition (ACR) to gather data about the types of shows you watch, your user journeys, and your location. According to a recent study by Which?, smart security systems, like cameras and doorbells, gather a range of information, including your location, contact details, video and audio recordings, and more. Smart washing machines may ask for information like your contact details, including your name and phone number, and gather location data, usage history, and which cycles you use.
Your Android smartphone records a wealth of data, including your usage habits, call logs, device data (like crash reports), information from built-in sensors like the gyroscope and accelerometer, your internet browsing history, and more. Similarly, smartwatches collect data such as heart rate, sleep patterns, activity levels, and your precise location.
How do smart devices use your personal data?
It’s mainly used to personalize the user experience
There have been online discussions about whether these companies collect excessive amounts of data and how they lack transparency regarding the use of this data. This raises potential privacy concerns, as these devices gather sensitive personal data, such as your location, contact details, and information about your home life, and share it with third parties who use it for commercial purposes. More concerningly, it can leave you vulnerable to hackers, cybercriminals, and data breaches.
However, for the most part, devices collect data to benefit users. Ultimately, you exchange your data for convenience and usability.
To maximize the benefits of smart technology, data about you and how and where you use the device is often necessary. For instance, when I ask my smart speaker for the weather forecast, it knows my location and provides my local report. Similarly, if I ask the speaker to play music, it understands my listening tendencies and the services I use, allowing it to make personalized recommendations. Amazon Alexa can identify which household member is speaking, thanks to Voice ID, enhancing the user experience.
Smart TVs work similarly. A UCL study published in the ACM Internet Measurement Conference (IMC) 2024 describes how data is sold to third parties for targeted advertising. Smart TVs use personal information and snapshots of your viewing habits to recommend relevant and suitable TV shows and movies. I’ve discovered great content through the recommendation rails on my Fire TV Cube, saving me from scrolling through content and ads that do not interest me.
Smartphones also do this. By recording how you use various apps on your device, they create a user profile for you and offer context-aware recommendations based on your individual needs, interests, and habits. Thanks to my personal data being recorded, I receive tailored content and shopping suggestions, my step count is tracked, my photos are tagged with a location, and I can find nearby points of interest like restaurants and stores, along with travel and traffic updates. My data can assist in emergencies, such as through crash detection on Google Pixel phones.
Also, personal data is collected across these devices to enhance the technology. Smart speakers use samples of voice recordings to improve AI models, allowing them to comprehend natural language effectively and respond appropriately. Smart security cameras take advantage of motion detection data to enhance their accuracy in recognizing and differentiating between humans, animals, and objects within the camera’s field of view. User profiling on smartphones helps manufacturers understand how people incorporate their devices into daily life, enabling them to focus on upgrades in the right areas and improve usability.
Your personal data drives the advancement of these technologies, continuously making them better.
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How to improve your privacy
There are steps you can take to protect your data
If you’re concerned about the personal data collected by your smart devices or the apps and services you use, be conscious of the permissions you grant them when setting them up. If you’re unsure what data is collected, read the privacy policy associated with the device or service. Most have a Privacy section in the companion smartphone app.
If you’re concerned about your smart speaker retaining voice recordings, most allow you to delete them after a designated period. If you use Alexa, open the app and tap Alexa Privacy. There, you can review your voice history, detected sounds history, device history, Alexa Skill permissions, ad preferences, and Alexa data.
For Google Assistant users, visit My Activity in your Google account settings and select Web & App Activity. From there, choose an auto-delete option, which removes all personal data recorded by its apps and services after a specified time, ranging from 3 to 36 months.
To change app permissions on your Android smartphone, open the Settings app and go to the Permissions section to view which apps have access to your information, whether it’s your location, contacts, camera, calendar, or microphone. You can adjust or remove permissions accordingly.
Revoking some of these permissions may limit the app’s functionality in some instances.
Along with checking what data is collected about you, protect yourself against cybercriminals. Update device software regularly, use a strong password, enable two-factor authentication, use a VPN to keep your internet browsing secure, and install an antivirus program on your phone and laptop.
Should you be worried about smart devices collecting personal data?
Smart devices collect a lot of personal data. For the most part, it benefits you and helps you make the most of every feature. However, it’s worth understanding what each one captures and why, as well as removing unnecessary permissions from devices and checking privacy settings to ensure your data stays safe.
