While a playful robot that uses facial recognition to analyze a child’s moods might seem like an awesome gift for your nephew, it’s not so great when you learn that data can be hacked by cybercriminals or shared for third-party advertising.
At the 2023 CES electronics exhibition, Jen Easterly, director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, told the Washington Post that most tech companies address safety problems when they happen rather than developing safety features proactively. Companies are “really focused on cost, capability, performance and speed to market, not on basic safety,” she said.
No matter how well they promise to clean your floors or entertain your children, some tech products are not worth the security risks. Here are a few tech gifts to avoid and tips for wiser tech shopping.
Beware These Tech Gifts
Camera-Enabled Devices With Bad Privacy Policies
Doorbell cams have one purpose: to see and hear everything around your home and neighborhood. Then it sends that data to the cloud. Poorly secured cameras could allow hackers to access live feeds, potentially giving them insight into when you’re home and when you’re away. Always choose devices with end-to-end encryption and transparent privacy policies.
AI-Integrated Devices
In 2022, images from iRobot’s AI-enabled Roomba were leaked online. Although the company claimed test users consented to share data, it underscores the risk of AI devices collecting extensive information about you. Read the privacy policy closely. If you can’t customize data settings or companies aren’t clear about how they use your data, shop elsewhere.
Tracking Devices For Kids
Tracking devices for children might seem like a thoughtful gift for families, but these devices can expose children’s real-time location to hackers, stalkers or third parties.
In 2021, the popular family safety app Life360 was found to be selling user location data to data brokers, according to reporting by The Markup. A safer approach is to discuss location sharing openly with your kids and use built-in features like Google’s Family Link or Apple’s end-to-end encrypted location sharing.
Genetic Testing Kits
In 2023, nearly 7 million 23andMe users had their ancestry data hacked – a stark reminder of the risks of genetic testing. Criminals are drawn to this highly sensitive data, and companies like Veritas and Ancestry.com have also faced breaches. Beyond theft, there’s the issue of law enforcement’s ability to access this information. Remember, once you spit into a test tube, you give away your genetic information, that of your close relatives and even future generations.