While some parents may think that equipping their children with smartwatches is a good way to keep track of them, Germany thinks otherwise. Their telecoms regulator Federal Network Agency has issued a ban on the sale of smartwatches that are for the very purpose of keeping track of their children, saying they are basically “spying devices” and urging parents to destroy any such gadgets that they currently own. This decision may very well be a “game-changer” when it comes to internet-connected devices, as it relates to children’s privacy concerns.
According to a statement issued by Jochen Homann, president of the aforementioned Federal Network Agency, the devices are considered an “unauthorized transmitting system” as it can be used by parents (and consequently, other adults) to listen in on children’s environments, including listening in on teachers in the classroom. Ken Munro, a security expert at Pen Test Partners, said that manufacturers are able to sell “dangerously insecure smart products” because there is still a lack of regulation when it comes to regulating the internet of things.
Just last month, the Norwegian Consumer Council said that children’s smartwatches still contain flaws in transmitting and storing data without encryption. This means that they are easily hackable and may even cause harm to children rather than the original function of protection when the data falls into the wrong hands. The two brands included in the report were Gator and GPS for Kids, but since then, both have resolved their security issues.
The decision of the German telecoms regulator to ban theses kids’ smartwatches can be related to those security flaws or to the privacy issues brought up. Either way, it is a clear message to manufacturers to take these issues related to children more seriously.
VIA: BBC
