This year there will be some smart home products for children under the Christmas tree. According to the Federal Network Agency, particular caution is required here, because some of them are illegal in Germany. This also includes certain smartwatches and remote-controlled cars.
Federal Network Agency warns of tech toys
According to the Federal Network Agency, supposedly harmless toys for children can be much more dangerous than meets the eye. Shortly before Christmas, the authorities get in touch with a Warning about smart home products for children. These are often not approved for sale in Germany and are considered “spy devices”.
Be specific Smartwatches for children mentioned if they also have a hidden tracking function for parents. If a camera or microphone can be started remotely, then such a product is not allowed in Germany. Neither children nor anyone in the vicinity of the smartwatch would be able to tell that it could be monitored. This applies to GPS trackers as well as to some remote-controlled cars with hidden cameras (source: Federal Network Agency).
In principle, the Federal Network Agency states that products are banned in Germany if they can record conversations from other people or if they can secretly film them and remote access is possible. Products that at first glance what everyday objects look like. The authorities noticed smart fragrance dispensers and tissue boxes here.
Legal smart home products from Ikea in the video:
Espionage by vacuum cleaners: Warning against vacuum robots
Caution is also advised with vacuum robots. Should this secretly Images, videos or audio files can send to a smartphone, then, according to the authorities, it is also a means of espionage. The situation is different, however, when the robot hoover informs people present acoustically or visually about a recording.