UK households with an air fryer warned they’re being ‘spied on’

A warning has been issued to UK households with an air fryer – amid fears the tech devices and gadgets are SPYING. Air fryers that gather your personal data and audio speakers “stuffed with trackers” are among examples of smart devices engaged in “excessive” surveillance.

That’s according to the consumer group Which? The consumer body found the app provided by the company Xiaomi connected to trackers for Facebook and a TikTok ad network, sending people’s personal data to servers in China.

Its tests also examined smartwatches that it said required “risky” phone permissions – giving invasive access to the consumer’s phone through location tracking, audio recording and accessing stored files. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) said the latest consumer tests “show that many products not only fail to meet our expectations for data protection but also consumer expectations”.

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Harry Rose, the editor of Which? magazine, claimed smart tech manufacturers were collecting data with little or no transparency and called for the ICO’s code to “be backed by effective enforcement, including against companies that operate abroad”.

In a response to Which?, Xiaomi said respecting user privacy was among its core values and it adhered to UK data protection laws. “We do not sell any personal information to third parties,” it said. “The permission to record audio on Xiaomi Home app is not applicable to Xiaomi smart air fryer which does not operate directly through voice commands and video chat.”

Aigostar was approached for comment. Slavka Bielikova, principal policy adviser at the ICO, said: “The results from Which?’s testing of smart products show that many products not only fail to meet our expectations for data protection but also consumer expectations.

“Smart products know a lot about us – who we live with, what music we like, what medication we are taking and much more. That’s why it’s vital that consumers trust smart product manufacturers to use their information safely and in the ways they expect.

“Earlier this year, we asked consumers how they feel about smart products. They told us that their products collect too much information about them and that they feel powerless to control how their information is used and shared. That’s why the ICO is working on new guidance for manufacturers of smart products which will be published in spring 2025.

“The guidance will outline clear expectations for what they need to do to comply with data protection laws and, in turn, protect people using smart products. Our guidance will allow manufacturers to plan and invest in the use of information responsibly. We want to help organisations get it right, however where they don’t we will be ready to act to ensure consumers are protected from harm.”