Wearable tech devices collect loads of information on users that compromise their privacy

05/02/2024 / By Kevin Hughes

Wearable devices are becoming a more important marketed consumer item by Big Tech companies because of their ability to gather data without the wearer being aware of it.

Wearables, like smartwatches, collect a list of measurements on your well-being, such as sleep patterns, activity levels and heart fitness. Other high-tech portable devices are able to acquire data from brain activity, eye movements and even the temperature of and sweat levels on the skin.

Consumers can purchase small devices to measure the body’s responses that were solely available only to research institutions several decades ago.

While most wearables are focused on health monitoring and related fields, researchers have long expected tech companies to obtain other types of data from users. The tech in health and fitness gadgets could amass useful information related to a person’s brain activity, heart and skin function, or movement patterns. (Related: Wearable technology may be able to detect sickness before symptoms appear.)

This ongoing tracking and monitoring raise questions about the possible risks that people may encounter when their personal information is gathered without their clear consent or knowledge.

With the growing popularity of wearable devices, it has become easier than ever for companies to obtain specific knowledge about a person’s regular activities and habits.

The data amassed by these devices can be utilized for different purposes like raising product serviceability, giving personalized recommendation or even selling data to third parties for advertising purposes.

Collection of personal information poses serious risks to a person’s privacy

This comprehensive collection of personal information poses serious risks to a person’s privacy. The unseen dangers lie in how the data is stored, shared and possibly exploited by others without the user’s knowledge or control over its usage.

Furthermore, there is a concern about the accuracy and security of the collected data. Any data breaches or misuse could have serious consequences. Data storage in wearable technology devices plays a crucial role in determining the security and accessibility of the enormous amount of personal data gathered.

“The key security weakness of wearable devices can be their lack of security updates. There is no legal requirement for wearable manufacturers to provide a roadmap of security updates for a specified period. However, the larger the manufacturers are, the more likely they are to provide patches in the future,” IEEE Senior member Kevin Curran said.

This increasing dependence on wearables boosts worries about how the data created by these devices is stored and protected.

With the huge amount of personal data that wearables collect along with health information, location data and biometric data it is critical to have strong security measures operating to prevent unauthorized access or misuse.

As these devices collect extremely sensitive personal information, there is a danger that this data could be accessed or used incorrectly by third parties.

For instance, insurance companies could possibly use data gathered by medical devices to determine premiums or coverage eligibility.

Moreover, there are concerns about the security measures conducted by wearable device manufacturers to protect the data from hackers or breaches.

Follow PrivacyWatch.news for more about how technology is being used to spy on people.

Watch the video below featuring Glenn Beck’s commentary on why the emergence of “wearable tech” should scare people.

This video is from the GalacticStorm channel on Brighteon.com.