Smartwatch is not only a fashion and a product for runners, active people or fans of technology. These products also have a place in children, although they are usually gadgets that parents buy to know at all times where their children are. A new study shows that these watches are a serious privacy problem.
Under the name “#WatchOut, SmartWatchSes Analysis for Kids” hides a long review of the most common smartwatches in the market focused on using with children. It is the work of the Norwegian consumer council and the security firm Mnemonic.
Unsurprisingly, these watches are a disaster as far as safety are concerned. They are vulnerable to attack and could get to control installed applications. The worst case is obvious, if you manage to infiltrate the clock software, the attacker can save personal information stored in his memory, know in real time its location and even communicate in real time with the child.
Many of these clocks that can be fitted with a SIM card allow you to make calls to contacts selected by the parents, but also receive them.
The study has also found basic privacy issues, by the companies that manufacture them. In one case, the Xplora watch gives away data collected from children to marketing companies and advertising networks.
Technological products focused on minors are especially important because anyone who collects data about them must be completely transparent in their intentions. The study of the Norwegian organization focuses on four smartwatch that represent the best sellers, but there are many other models.
The advice given to parents is that they should be consistent with the type of products they purchase and always read the fine print, especially with the use of personal data.
Via | Business Insider
