Most Smart Watches, Rings, and Bands Lack Basic Transparency Reports and Key Privacy Features

Per the Electronic Frontier Foundation's survey of major smartwatch and fitness tracker makers, most are failing to protect users' health data with basic privacy safeguards. The research examined Apple, Google, Garmin, Oura, and six other manufacturers, finding that only Apple and Google publish transparency reports disclosing how often they share user data with law enforcement—critical information when heart rates and step counts can reveal your movements and location. Even more concerning: Apple is the only one offering end-to-end encryption for wearable health data, meaning all other competitors can still access and use that information themselves. Some companies, including Oura, have recently pledged to consider stronger transparency measures, but the industry remains far behind the privacy standards users should expect from devices that capture intimate health details.

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