gifting a gadget? check its creep factor on mozilla’s ‘privacy not included’ list of shame

The practice of gifting technological devices is a long-standing custom, but in the current market, it presents unique challenges. You might inadvertently purchase a fitness device that also tracks emotional states, or a video doorbell that reports directly to law enforcement. To address these concerns, Mozilla has compiled a useful evaluation of commonly purchased gadgets, assessing their potential privacy risks.

The “Privacy Not Included” report is an annual undertaking by the digital rights organization, and this year’s edition highlights a particularly large number of potentially problematic devices. This increase is largely due to the growing popularity of smart speakers, intelligent security cameras, and even automated pet care products like smart litterboxes.

At the higher end of the privacy concern scale are, for the most part, products manufactured by Amazon, with the exception of the Kindle e-reader. These devices are intentionally designed to transmit substantial amounts of data back to Amazon, and Mozilla believes the company has not yet demonstrated sufficient trustworthiness to justify such data collection. Facebook’s Portal video communication device also receives a concerning rating for similar reasons.

Image Credits: Mozilla

Certain less prominent gadgets, such as a connected coffee machine and the Moleskine smart writing system, are flagged as potentially risky because they lack adequate guarantees regarding data handling and security— assurances that should be standard for any organization gathering personal information. This situation is widespread among smart devices; while not inherently problematic, manufacturers often retain the option to alter their practices in ways that could compromise user privacy.

Conversely, Withings receives positive recognition for its smart devices, which feature sensible privacy policies and robust security measures. Smart doorbells from brands other than Ring, and smartwatches produced by Garmin, also earn favorable assessments.

These rankings are based on an evaluation of the potential for misuse or unauthorized disclosure of your information, and do not guarantee complete safety or privacy. When acquiring any of these types of products, it is advisable to promptly review the settings and preferences, disabling any features that appear intrusive or raise privacy concerns. Features can always be re-enabled, but retrieving data once it has been shared can be extremely difficult.

The complete list can be found here.