How tech companies deceive you into giving up your data and privacy | Finn Lützow-Holm Myrstad

Summary

The speaker exposes the privacy and security risks of internet-connected toys like Cayla, which collects personal data, and highlights the lack of consumer protection. They demonstrate how easily Cayla can be hacked, leading to bans and store removals. The talk extends to app privacy, revealing the unrealistic expectations placed on users to read and understand lengthy, complex terms and conditions. The speaker advocates for clearer terms, better enforcement of privacy laws, and prioritizing security to build consumer trust.

Takeaways

• 🐻 Cayla, an internet-connected toy, was named Toy of the Year but was found to be collecting personal data from children without their or their parents' knowledge.
• 🔒 The toy's connectivity allowed strangers within range to connect to it, posing a significant security risk to children's privacy.
• 📱 The speaker highlighted the broader issue of billions of devices expected to be online by 2020, raising concerns about data privacy and security.
• 📑 The terms and conditions of apps and devices often allow for the collection and use of personal data without clear consent from users.
• 🌐 The speaker's team conducted an experiment to read out loud the terms of apps on an average phone, taking over 31 hours, emphasizing the impracticality of expecting users to read them.
• 🚫 Despite the security flaws, Cayla was sold worldwide for over a year after the report, indicating weak enforcement of privacy regulations.
• 💔 The speaker critiqued the lack of transparency and fairness in how personal data is used, manipulated, and potentially exploited by companies.
• ❤️ The story of a popular dating app was used to illustrate how personal and intimate data can be exploited, with broad permissions granted to the company in the terms and conditions.
• 🏦 The implications of data exploitation can lead to financial loss, subconscious manipulation, and discrimination against individuals.
• 🌟 Positive change can be achieved when companies prioritize privacy, governments enforce regulations, and citizens demand respect for their rights.

Q & A

What was Cayla, the toy mentioned in the script, known for?

Cayla was a toy that connected to the internet and used speech recognition technology to interact with children, answering their questions and responding like a friend. It was voted toy of the year in various countries.

What privacy concerns were raised about Cayla?

Cayla raised privacy concerns because it was found to be collecting and potentially sharing personal information from children and their families without proper security measures, allowing anyone with a smartphone to connect to the toy within a certain distance.

What actions were taken against Cayla after the investigation?

Following the investigation, Cayla was banned in Germany, taken off the shelves by major retailers like Amazon and Wal-Mart, and is now on display at the German Spy Museum in Berlin.

How long did it take the speaker's team to read the terms and conditions of an average phone?

It took the speaker's team 31 hours, 49 minutes, and 11 seconds to read the terms and conditions of an average phone.

Why did the speaker's team read the terms and conditions out loud?

The speaker's team read the terms and conditions out loud to demonstrate the unrealistic expectation placed on consumers to read and understand these lengthy and complex documents before using apps.

What was the outcome of the speaker's experiment with dating apps?

The speaker found that dating apps had a pre-ticked box granting them access to personal pictures and other data, with terms and conditions that allowed for perpetual and irrevocable use of that content.

What potential risks were associated with the data collection by dating apps as mentioned in the script?

The potential risks included financial loss based on web browsing history, subconscious manipulation through targeted ads during vulnerable moments, and discrimination such as being denied health insurance coverage due to data sold by fitness apps.

What change did the dating companies make after the legal complaint?

Following the legal complaint, the dating companies changed their policies globally to address the privacy concerns raised by the speaker's team.

What is the speaker's call to action for companies, governments, and citizens?

The speaker calls for companies to prioritize privacy and security, governments to create a safer internet with up-to-date rules, and citizens to use their voice to remind the world that technology should respect basic rights.

What is the main argument the speaker is making about technology and privacy?

The main argument the speaker is making is that technology can only benefit society if it respects basic rights, including privacy and security, and that there is a need for change in how data is collected, used, and protected.