ORLANDO, Fla. – Do you ever wonder if your smart devices are watching you?
The latest statistics show that as many as 60 million households in the U.S. are actively using smart devices in their home.
Just like anything connected to the internet, smart home devices can be hacked and used to spy on you. A recent study showed that one in two Americans are unaware that their webcam can be hacked.
Smart devices make our lives far more convenient, however, it can come at the expense of our own privacy. There are ways though to ensure your smart devices will stop snooping on you.
First, if someone calls or texts with photos of you and demands money, they probably have access to your devices and their cameras. If you see the light to the side of your laptop camera blink, it means the webcam is in use.
If your device battery drains quicker than usual, it means your camera may be constantly in use by a hacker. To protect yourself, first, know exactly what features your devices have and how to control them. You can do a basic internet search with your model number and type in the word’s “microphone” or “camera” or “privacy.”
Second, if you can’t turn off the camera on some of your devices, but you would like some privacy, a simple piece of black tape over the camera eye is an easier option.
Also, be sure to delete your data. Voice assistant devices like the Amazon Echo and Alexa record all your voice conversations.
Another tip is to turn off your Wi-Fi when you leave. Keeping your Wi-Fi on 24 seven makes it easier for cyber-criminals to hack your devices and inject them with spyware.
This is why you should turn off your router when you leave the house. Doing so will not only minimize the chances of hackers hijacking your systems, but it will also lower your utility bills.