Smart home gadgets listen, log and connect to the cloud. A short checkup keeps the convenience and trims the data.
Every connected device in your home has two sides: the convenience you bought it for and the data it sends back. Here’s how we’d check a typical setup.
Voice assistants
Smart speakers and displays listen for a wake word on the device. When they hear it, or something that sounds like it, they record what follows and send it to the company’s servers to process the request.
What to check in the companion app:
- Voice history: review what’s been recorded and delete what you don’t want kept.
- Automatic deletion: many apps let you delete recordings automatically after a set period.
- Human review: look for settings about whether recordings can be used to improve the service.
- Permissions for skills and actions: remove third-party add-ons you don’t use.
Watch for
Children use voice assistants too. In 2023, the FTC and the Justice Department said Amazon kept children’s Alexa voice recordings in violation of the children’s privacy law, and Amazon agreed to pay a $25 million civil penalty. Check the settings for any child profiles.
Plugs, bulbs, locks and thermostats
These devices often log when they’re used. That data can reveal when you’re home, asleep or away. Review the privacy settings in each app, and only connect devices to services you actually use.
Security basics
A hacked smart device is a privacy problem of its own. For every gadget:
- Change default passwords and use a unique password for each device account.
- Turn on two-factor authentication for the companion apps.
- Install updates, and replace devices that no longer receive them.
- Use your router’s guest network for smart devices if it has one.
- Remove devices you no longer use from your account and reset them before selling or recycling them.
Verdict
Smart home devices are worth having only if you control what they keep. Set recordings to auto-delete and keep everything updated.
Cameras deserve extra care, covered in home security cameras without the privacy problems. And your TV is probably the most talkative device in the house: see what your smart TV knows about you.
The essentials
- Voice assistants generally record after hearing a wake word, and recordings may be stored until you delete them.
- Most voice assistant apps let you review recordings and set them to delete automatically.
- In 2023, Amazon agreed to pay a $25 million civil penalty over keeping children’s Alexa voice recordings.
- Change default passwords, install updates and turn on two-factor authentication for device accounts.
Reader questions
Is my smart speaker always listening?
It listens locally for its wake word, then records and sends what follows. Accidental activations happen, which is why reviewing and deleting recordings is worth doing.
What does the mute button do?
On most smart speakers it disconnects the microphone, often shown by a colored light. It’s useful during private conversations.
Should smart devices be on a separate network?
Many routers offer a guest network. Putting smart devices on it can keep a compromised gadget away from your computers and phones.
We describe how services generally work; features, settings and terms change often, and they differ between companies. This is general information, not legal advice. Check the provider’s current policies and official sources such as FTC.gov.