Browser and VPN provider Mozilla has released the latest edition of the shopping guide * Privacy not included, to help people make more informed purchasing decisions before Christmas.
Based on approximately 1,000 hours of research on popular Internet-connected devices and their associated privacy policies, the guide provides an overview of the most "scary" devices on the market.
At the top of Mozilla's naughty list this year are the Amazon Echo, the Facebook portal, and the NordicTrack Treadmill, each of which collects a large amount of user data of all kinds, the company claims.
Bad or pretty?
Specifically, Mozilla notes that Amazon and Facebook's smart devices (both with Alexa) are configured to record any voice commands they receive, which is then relayed to the provider's servers. They also collect a variety of metadata that can be used for specific advertising purposes.
NordicTrack, on the other hand, reserves the right to sell user data and to contact users via text or phone, even if their number is on a "do not call list." Company may also receive User Data from various third parties, such as data brokers and aggregators.
The * Privacy not included list also includes products from Peloton, Samsung, Huawei, DJI, Roku, and other major companies.
Alternative Christmas gifts
The goal of the guide, Mozilla explains, is to provide shoppers with the information they need to make informed purchasing decisions, but also to pressure technology providers to design products with user privacy in mind.
The company believes that it is the responsibility of consumers to protect their own privacy for too long, and it is time for technology providers to be more transparent about what data they collect and how it is used.
"While devices are getting smarter, they're also getting scarier and much more prone to security breaches and data leaks, even among major companies like Microsoft, Amazon and Facebook," said Jen Caltrider, Principal Investigator. in * Privacy not included.
“We have also found that consumers continue to take too much responsibility for protecting their privacy and security. Consumers are encouraged to read complex documents scattered across various websites to even begin to understand how their data is being used.
However, not everything is pessimistic. In addition to highlighting the devices it believes pose the greatest risk to consumers, Mozilla has also published a list of 22 products that are unlikely to cause a privacy breach.
At the top of that list are Garmin Venu, Apple Homepod Mini, and iRobot Roombas, all of which are made by companies with a strong history of privacy and do not sell user data to third parties.
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