Tests on smartwatches for children by security firm Mnemonic and the Norwegian Consumer Council have revealed them to be riddled with flaws.
The Oslo-based company teamed up with the trading standards body to investigate several smartwatches aimed at kids, specifically the Xplora (and associated mobile application Xplora T1), Viksfjord (and mobile app SeTracker) and the Gator 2 (mobile app Gator).
The project found "significant security flaws, unreliable safety features and a lack of consumer protection".
Strangers can easily seize control of the watches and use them to track and eavesdrop on children due to a lack of encryption and other failings.
The SOS function in the Gator watch, and the whitelisted phone numbers function in the Viksfjord, are particularly poorly implemented. The alerts transmitted when the child leaves a permitted area are also unreliable. Some of the apps associated with the watches lack terms and conditions. Tests showed it wasn't possible to delete data or user accounts.
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