A year ago, we asked[1] some of the most prominent smart home device makers if they have given customer data to governments. The results were mixed.
The big three smart home device makers — Amazon, Facebook and Google (which includes Nest) — all disclosed in their transparency reports[2] if and when governments demand customer data. Apple said it didn’t need a report, as the data it collects was anonymized.
As for the rest, none had published their government data-demand figures.
In the year that’s past, the smart home market has grown rapidly[3], but the remaining device makers have made little to no progress on disclosing their figures. And in some cases, it got worse.
Smart home and other internet-connected devices may be convenient and accessible, but they collect vast amounts of information on you and your home. Smart locks know when someone enters your house, and smart doorbells can capture their face. Smart TVs know which programs you watch and some smart speakers know what you’re interested in. Many smart devices collect data when they’re not in use — and some collect data points you may not even think about, like your wireless network information, for example — and send them back to the manufacturers, ostensibly to make the gadgets — and your home — smarter.
Because the data is stored in the cloud by the devices manufacturers, law enforcement and government agencies can demand those companies turn over that data to solve crimes.
But as the amount of data collection increases, companies are not being transparent about the data demands they receive. All we have are anecdotal reports — and there are plenty: Police obtained Amazon Echo data[4] to help...