NEW YORK — Are the ads popping up in your smart device a little too spot on? Is it an eerie coincidence or are your smartphones and smart speakers listening in on everything you say in private? Privacy issues are a constant concern when it comes to digital technology, but a new survey finds many Americans are simply accepting they may not be alone in their own home. Researchers say two in three U.S. adults “don’t care” if their smart devices are always listening to what they say.
The report by Safety.com finds 66.7 percent of U.S. residents over 18 wouldn’t have a problem finding out a home gadget is listening in on what’s going on inside their home. Researchers polled nearly 1,100 people between the ages of 18 and 64 during December of 2020.
While tech companies repeatedly assure the public smart devices are not spying on their owners, not everyone is convinced of this. That feeling is particularly prevalent among older adults. The survey finds baby boomers are much more concerned about digital devices recording their conservations than Millennials or young adults in Generation Z. Adults in Generation X are split on the issue.
The poll also finds women are more unnerved about smart devices than men are, by a margin of seven percent. Unsurprisingly, residents in tech-dominant cities and regions are more accepting of potentially being recorded than Americans in communities with less high-tech development.
