Sex Toys and the Internet of Things Collide—what Could Go Wrong?
Don’t just laugh this suit off - one of the things we have to worry about in this country and others are weak protections for consumer data privacy, and no regulation on consumer control of what can and can’t go out of country.
It was only a matter of time before the Internet of Things caught up with sex toys and led to products like apps that remotely control vibrators from an Apple or Android device via a Bluetooth connection.
And now, one of those apps is accused of being a little too connected to its users.
Standard Innovation—the maker of the We-Vibe vibrator and accompanying app—is the subject of a federal privacy lawsuit. The suit, which seeks class-action status, claims the We-Vibe vibrator app chronicles how often and how long consumers use the sex toy and sends that data to the company’s Canadian servers. The suit says that the app also monitors “the selected vibration settings,” the vibrator’s battery life, and the vibrator’s “temperature” with consumer consent. The data, along with the person’s e-mail address, is stored on the vibrator-maker’s Canadian servers, according to the lawsuit. (PDF) The app also has a “connect lover” feature, enabling partners to exchange text messages, engage in video chats, and “control a paired We-Vibe” device.
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