Smart watches are no longer welcome on the wrists of German children. At least not the ones that offer the option of eavesdropping. Bundesnetzagentur (Federal Network Agency) bans the sale of certain smartwatches for children and urged parents to proceed with the destruction of the accused watches. “Parents can use these hours to listen to their child’s surroundings via an app. “Watches are considered unauthorized transmission equipment,” said Jochen Homann, head of the Bundesnetzagentur. According to him, an investigation revealed that parents are using their children’s smartwatches to spy on teachers during lessons.
smart watches, spy gadgets
It is unacceptable for the German authority, which is asking schools to be cautious and apply pressure if necessary. These connected watches are designed for extremely young children who are not yet old enough to own a smartphone. They keep you in touch with parents: they have an integrated SIM card and can make calls. However, some functions that qualify as “listening” are assimilated into surveillance by the Bundesnetzagentur.
This isn’t the first time smartwatches for kids have come under fire. In October 2017, the European Bureau of Consumer Unions (BEUC) drew attention to the safety of these connected watches. Hackers can exploit the flaws to recover personal data, take control of the clock, spy and communicate with the child.
As for the Bundesnetzagentur, it is particularly cautious in this regard and is not its first victim. In February 2017, the Cayla-linked doll suffered the same fate. Equipped with a speaker and a microphone, it recorded conversations it stored on a server. It was considered a spy tool, banned for sale, and parents were urged to destroy the toy.
