Hacking and electronic spying have been buzz topics lately. Most recently, Donald Trump accused Pres. Obama of spying on him via microwave, but these words have been floating through media coverage for a while now (WikiLeaks, Hillary's emails, celebrity nudes...). It's a current source of worry--reportedly, people have been using encryption apps to text to protect their privacy.
With all these heightened security and hacking threats, everyone is on edge. But the one thing we didn't expect to be spying on us? Our vibrators.
A lawsuit was filed against the makers of We-Vibe, a line of high-end vibrators that can be synced with an app for remote-controlled use, in September after users alleged that the app was designed to collect information about the users of the vibrators, including how often and with what settings the vibrator was used.
NPR recently reported that the company has reached a 3.75 million settlement with users. Anyone who bought a We-Vibe vibrator can collect up to 199, but anyone who connected it to the information-stealing app can get up to 10,000. The amount of money paid out, though, will depend on how many people file claims. It was reported that 300,000 people bought one of the line's vibrators, while 100,000 synced their toy with the app.
This total invasion of privacy left users understandably upset. The lawsuit claims that their email addresses and usage information were transmitted to the company's servers in Canada; this allowed the company "to link the usage information to specific customer accounts" without customer consent.
What started out as a good product idea, especially those for in long distance relationships, turned out to be downright creepy. During some of your most private moments, someone could be tracking every move you make--talk about unsettling.
Top photo via we-vibe.com
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Elissa Sanci is a twenty-something writer who's now a grad student studying journalism in New York because she was reluctant to start the real world. Besides drinking too much coffee and daydreaming about traveling the world, she spends most her time writing, reading and complaining about the weather. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @elissasanci.
