Wearable tech is the amalgamation of fashion, technology and law. The concept includes ‘care tech’, devices used for medical purposes, and smart devices like watches, clothing, ear-pieces and patch adhesives stuck to skin. The users are babies, the elderly and anyone in between, presenting with all degrees of morbidity and disability.
Wearable tech personalizes each user’s lifestyle, health and wellness. Without personal information, it is meaningless. Some functionality does not require user identification, but sophisticated devices require regular software updates to maintain purpose and security. These also connect to other smart devices, robots, drones and care platforms, spreading your personal information far and wide.
Many service providers are located offshore, processing your personal information offshore. So how does one increase cybersecurity? Run the prompts to update the software. Use the security functionality like PINs, passwords and biometric safeguards. Read the privacy policies to know who is collecting your personal information, how and why. Then configure the device’s privacy settings to suit your risk appetite.
Before selling used wearable devices, clear all the data so your personal experience and information (like your home address) are not shared. Before buying pre-owned devices, check that all the data has been erased to protect the honesty of your experience (also a good reason for not sharing wearable devices).
The message is clear: adopt all measures necessary to protect your privacy.