Smart sex toys may promise good times, but they're turning users off.
Angry customers are suing Standard Innovation, the Ottawa-based vibrator company behind smartphone-controlled We-Vibe products, over allegations that its products monitor how its customers masturbate.
We-Vibe claims users can use the We-Connect app to control a vibrator remotely.
"Turn on your lover when you connect and play together from anywhere in the world," instructions for the vibrator say.
However, the lawsuit alleges the company collected data, including customer emails, and the vibrators would "secretly collect intimate details about its customers' use of the We-Vibe, including the date and time of each use".
The lawsuit claims that as a result, the company "causes all communications to be routed through its servers".
The security vulnerabilities were revealed after two computer security experts exposed flaws in the device's software.
"Do you want these people looking at [information like] what patterns you like? What intensity you like?" one IT expert asked.
Standard Innovation says the information was collected for product development and market research.
"There's been no allegation that any of our customers' data has been compromised. However, given the intimate nature of our products, the privacy and security of our customers' data is of utmost importance to our company," says the We-Vibe manufacturers.
"Accordingly, we take concerns about customer privacy and our data practices seriously."
Newshub.
