Author Topic: PSA: Your Headphones May Be Spying on You and Selling Your Data  (Read 26 times)

Offline javajolt

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Your headphones may be tracking more than you realize

Your headphones are listening, and not just to your music.

Your headphones probably know you very, very well. They may track where you go and what you listen to, as well as other details you never knew they needed.

If you’re the type of person who accepts privacy policies without reading the small print, you’re in for a surprise.

Why and How Headphones Know Too Much

I have a pair of Sony WH-CH720N headphones I’m very happy with. So much so that I didn’t even bother to install the Sound Connect app when I first got them.

One day, however, I wanted to connect them to two devices at the same time, so I downloaded it. I was so rushed to get it done that I didn’t stop to consider what I was agreeing to when accepting the terms and conditions.

Apparently, their privacy policy is quite extensive and includes collecting information about your ear (if you want Sony 360 Reality Audio), which I didn’t expect.

But if you have headphones targeted at fitness enthusiasts, the information they gather can be more extensive.

Beyond basic details like height and weight, these gadgets now want to know about your drinking habits and even menstrual cycles.

Oh, and remember the Bose data scandal? The company was sued by a user claiming the company was collecting too much personal information and selling it to third parties.



When you agree to those long terms of service that nobody reads, you’re letting companies build a detailed picture of your daily life.

Unlike sharing your location with weather apps or your searches with Google, it’s hard to see how users benefit from giving away all this personal info.

The Government Is (Also) Watching


Your location and movements can be tracked using your Bluetooth headphones. (From: John Lund/Getty
Images)


The privacy problems go beyond just companies collecting data.

The same Bluetooth technology that makes wireless headphones work also makes them perfect for tracking.

US government agencies are buying loads of personal info collected through Bluetooth headphones from data sellers. This lets them watch citizens without getting warrants first.

When your headphones are set to “discoverable,” they send out signals that tracking devices can pick up.

These signals show exactly where you go and what you do each day.

The Department of Homeland Security even used bought location data to track gang connections across borders.

While fighting crime matters, doing this kind of watching without any oversight should concern anyone who values their privacy.

Children Are Not Safe From Data Collection

What’s scariest is how spying affects kids.

A security expert recently found that Kekz, a company making children’s headphones, put hidden tracking features in devices they promised were offline and secure.


The headphones can log where they were used and the files that were played. (From: nv1t)

These headphones, sold as safe for kids, secretly gather device IDs, what kids listen to, and where they go using WiFi signals.

All this info goes to a poorly protected database, putting kids at risk.

Think about what could happen.

Bad people could use this info to know kids’ daily schedules, when they’re at school, and when their homes are empty. Yet Kekz keeps selling these devices as safe, offline products.

Taking Control of Audio Privacy

Thankfully, you can fight back against this privacy invasion.

First, check what your headphone apps can access – especially location, microphone, and storage.



Additionally, get rid of headphone apps you no longer use. There’s no point in hanging on to apps you rarely access.

More importantly, before you download new headphone apps, look at what data they collect in their privacy policy.



Ask yourself if fancy features are worth giving up your privacy.

Do your headphones really need to know where you are to play music? Should they know about your health to change the volume?

Usually, the answer is no.

Keep in mind that any info collected about you could be sold or stolen. The best way to stay safe is to share less.

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