Parents who buy a special GPS watch for their children should beware because some of these devices with built-in phones have very poor security. This allows strangers to hack into the watch and make contact with the child.
Photos can also be taken remotely and the location can be changed.
So says the Dutch Consumer Association based on research by the Norwegian Consumer Association Forbrukerrådet. GPS watches allow parents to keep track of where their children are and also call the child. In turn, the children can call parents or a babysitter through the watch. However, this so-called SOS function is unreliable because the watch can be taken over. Malicious parties can link a different phone number to the watch. Also, the SOS function can be turned off remotely.
In the Netherlands, these are the Gator 2 and the models that work with the app SeTracker. The Consumentenbond advises against buying these products. The Consumentenbond has informed large online stores that sell the watches about the results and asked them to remove the Gator 2 and the models with the SeTracker from their shelves.
The Consumers' Association finds it disturbing to see that, with the rise of "internet of things," the security of products is so poorly regulated. Manufacturers are (also) responsible for the digital security of their products, according to the Consumers' Association.
