This app lets you see IoT devices around you and what data they’re taking

A new app launched in February will let you know what internet of things technologies are operating around you and what data they’re collecting. The Internet of Things Assistant app and its infrastructure, created by Carnegie Mellon researchers, aims to give you more control over the devices tracking your activity and information.

With the app, you’ll be able to see devices like public cameras with facial recognition technology, Bluetooth beacons tracking your location at the mall, and your neighbor’s smart doorbell or smart speaker, according to a story published by Carnegie Mellon’s Security and Privacy Institute. You can see what data these devices collect, and access privacy choices like opting in and out of data collection when available.

“Our research has shown that most people have little awareness about the amount of data collected today by IoT technologies,” Norman Sadeh, a CyLab faculty member in Carnegie Mellon’s Institute for Software Research and the principal investigator on the project, told CNET. “It also shows that many people would like to be better informed about the collection and use of their data by these technologies, especially in contexts where they don’t expect this to happen. In addition, many of them would like the option to possibly opt in or out of some practices.”

MORE: https://www.cnet.com/news/this-app-lets-you-see-iot-devices-around-you-and-what-data-theyre-taking/