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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/nov/18/germany-bans-childrens-smart-watches-over-surveillance-concerns
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| Germany bans children's 'smart' watches over surveillance concerns | Germany bans children's 'smart' watches over surveillance concerns |
| (2 months later) | |
| Telecoms regulator urges parents to destroy the devices, which have been used to listen in on classroom lessons | |
| Reuters | |
| Sat 18 Nov 2017 01.34 GMT | |
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| Germany’s telecoms regulator has banned the sale of “smart watches” that can be used by parents to check on their children, saying the devices violated Germany’s strict surveillance laws. | Germany’s telecoms regulator has banned the sale of “smart watches” that can be used by parents to check on their children, saying the devices violated Germany’s strict surveillance laws. |
| The Federal Network Agency said it had already taken action against several firms that sell the watches online but did not name them. | The Federal Network Agency said it had already taken action against several firms that sell the watches online but did not name them. |
| It urged parents to destroy the watches, which are widely available on the German market and target children between the ages of 5 to 12. | It urged parents to destroy the watches, which are widely available on the German market and target children between the ages of 5 to 12. |
| “Via an app, parents can use such watches to secretly listen to a child’s environment. They are to be seen as a prohibited transmitter,” Jochen Homann, president of the agency, said in a statement. “Our investigation has also shown that parents have used the watches to listen to teachers in the classroom.” | “Via an app, parents can use such watches to secretly listen to a child’s environment. They are to be seen as a prohibited transmitter,” Jochen Homann, president of the agency, said in a statement. “Our investigation has also shown that parents have used the watches to listen to teachers in the classroom.” |
| The decision follows the agency’s decision in February to ban distribution of a talking doll, saying its software could be hacked to reveal personal data. | The decision follows the agency’s decision in February to ban distribution of a talking doll, saying its software could be hacked to reveal personal data. |
| The agency’s actions reflect growing concerns about the security and privacy risks associated with the exploding number of smart gadgets. | The agency’s actions reflect growing concerns about the security and privacy risks associated with the exploding number of smart gadgets. |
| Surveillance is a particularly sensitive issue in Germany where East Germany’s Stasi secret police and the Nazi era Gestapo kept a close watch on the population. | Surveillance is a particularly sensitive issue in Germany where East Germany’s Stasi secret police and the Nazi era Gestapo kept a close watch on the population. |
| The agency said the watches in question include a sim card and offer a limited telephone function which can be controlled via an app, similar to baby monitoring devices. | The agency said the watches in question include a sim card and offer a limited telephone function which can be controlled via an app, similar to baby monitoring devices. |
| By programming the watches to call a telephone number, they can be used to secretly listen to conversations, an act that is prohibited under German law, the agency said. | By programming the watches to call a telephone number, they can be used to secretly listen to conversations, an act that is prohibited under German law, the agency said. |
| It urged schools to be vigilant about the use of such smart watches. | It urged schools to be vigilant about the use of such smart watches. |
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| Europe | |
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