Being Spied Upon By Your Stuff

These innocuous-looking wireless headphones are now the subject of a class-action suit for violating laws regarding privacy. A customer discovered that the headphones were sending data about his listening habits to third-party companies.

And, less safe-for-work, a similar class-action suit is being brought against the makers of this app-controlled vibrator, for sending data about its customers’ sex practices back to the company.

Your programmable thermostat knows when you’re not home, your Bluetooth deadbolt knows when you come and go, your networked light-bulbs know when you’re awake and what rooms you spend time in, and all three of those brag that they can be used directly with Amazon Alexa, the open microphone that listens to everything that happens in your house.

Finally, the Amazon Show has a camera that streams video of your bedroom. Thankfully, nothing ever happens in your bedroom that you’d want to keep other people from seeing.