Your Vibrator may be Spying on you!

[Sevrin]

An American woman has launched a proposed class-action lawsuit against the Canadian-owned maker of a smartphone-enabled vibrator, alleging the company sells products that secretly collect and transmit "highly sensitive" information.

The Chicago-area woman, identified in a statement of claim only as N.P., has made her complaints against Standard Innovation (US) Corp., which is owned by the Ottawa-based Standard Innovation Corp, over a "high-end" vibrator called the We-Vibe.

Further reading

On the one hand, it doesn't sound like the company is out to do anything untoward with the information they collect, but on the other, they should inform users that any data at all is being collected, and whether their identities are in any way associated with the collected data.

 

[Rose]

Hmm, well if my vibrator is spying on me then I hope they're using that information to give me better orgasms.

 

[HanlonShaves]

Hmm, well if my vibrator is spying on me then I hope they're using that information to give me better orgasms.

Well good news, then!

I remember reading something that basically explained that was the case. Think the metrics were things like length of time used, which settings, and what temperature the vibe was reaching.

Edit: Aha, found it.

“We do collect certain limited data to help us improve our products and for diagnostic purposes,” the company said in a statement. “As a matter of practice, we use this data in an aggregate, non-identifiable form.”

The company also defended its practice of collecting information on the temperature of peoples’ vibrators and on users’ preferred intensity setting. Having data on temperature, the spokesman told CNET, allowed the company to ensure that key components of the device were functioning properly. As for intensity setting, “It is to understand how people use the products.” If users always prefer the highest setting, “then perhaps we don’t have a powerful enough device”.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/sep/14/wevibe-sex-toy-data-collection-chicago-lawsuit

Whether or not you believe the statement and reasoning is up to you, but there it is.

 

[EffyMFCx]

I was on lovehoney and saw a vibrator that had a camera on the end so you could literally watch inside of your vagina. I think it would be linked to your partners phone or something to help long distance relationships but yeah - scary.