While the festive season is the time for joy and giving gifts, things may not turn out so well for people whose privacy is being stolen unbeknownst to them due to their new tech presents.
The several internet connected-devices you give as gifts- may wire up their homes for levels of surveillance that breach the level of privacy the gifted would like. Like for instance, Alexa recording your conversation and sending it to your contacts. Although, it doesn’t mean you should completely refrain from tech presents.
Ask how can you protect your digital privacy with your new tech presents and its simple.
Don’t give up on privacy rights you don’t need to. For e.g. while setting up an Amazon Echo, it will ask for your contact list to set-up Alexa (the voice calling feature). Of course, like most you don’t have an intention of making calls with the speaker, so instead of blindly clicking ‘Yes’, skip the prompt and then come back if you change your mind.
Look for the boxes to uncheck, settings to change and the prompts to decline – it may limit the technology use, rather than what the company hopes you’ll let it do.
Take few looks at the settings of your new devices– see how much control they give you. Put tighter controls on how your data is used- (like do you really need personalized ads?)
Know when certain gifts should not be given or accepted. Your relative may find the teddy with camera nose cute for your baby. But, know that such technology can be breached and steal data such as children’s name, age and other things, as it has happened before.