<
https://www.techdirt.com/2023/01/17/privacy-advocates-continue-to-warn-that-modern-toys-are-a-privacy-mess/>
"A decade or so ago there was a wave of warnings by privacy advocates about how
modern toys had become major surveillance devices. Makers of voice recognition
toys in particular had a nasty habit, researchers warned, of collecting
everything your child says, poorly “anonymizing” the data (a meaningless term),
then failing to secure that data from attackers.
A decade later and researchers and activists are still busy trying to get
consumers to understand that modern toys are a privacy and security mess.
Companies continue to over-collect data on children and monetize that data for
advertising, allowing the creation of detailed profiles on children. All while
not really making that clear in terms of service. And while hiding behind
flimsy claims of “anonymization.”
Year after year, privacy advocates warn that significant reform is needed, and
year after year not a whole lot changes when it comes to the warnings or our
collective response to them:
It’s just one example of a growing trend, according to nonprofit researchers
at the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG). The organization’s recent
report said smart toys bring new risks, including microphones and cameras,
paired with significant data collection.
“Having any data collected on a child that isn’t strictly necessary is
really reckless and unsafe,” said RJ Cross, of U.S. PIRG.
And this kind of lax privacy and security standards extends to educational
computer learning products. A July 2022 study by Human Rights Watch found that
the “overwhelming majority” of EdTech products endorsed by 49 governments
during the pandemic surveilled or had the capacity to surveil children in ways
that risked or infringed on their rights."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
