Citing cybersecurity concerns with a children’s smartwatch, the European Commission recently issued a recall of the device. The Safe-KID-One is a smartwatch that gives parents the ability to track and communicate with their children. According to the European Commission, security issues with the device could allow a hacker to access a user’s data, including location history, phone numbers and serial number. Additionally, the hacker could use the watch to “call another number of his choosing, can communicate with the child wearing the device or locate the child through GPS.” This is one of the first recalls of an internet of things device by the European Commission and puts device makers on notice that they should take cybersecurity seriously when designing new devices.
Putting it Into Practice: This decision shows the EU’s concerns about security, technology devices, and children. Devices makers should ensure that they have appropriate security measures for their products, especially when directing them to the youth market.