GoKawiilHome privacy starts with these tech tips. Kathrin Ziegler/Getty
Home privacy is a popular topic these days, as Flock surveillance cameras appear in our neighborhoods and AI voice assistants hang on our every word. But we also have more tools than ever to protect our privacy — as long as we use them.
Don’t worry, your smart technology is still (mostly) safe, but if you are worried about third parties spying on you or loved ones, you should definitely learn these practices, settings and tricks to better protect yourself. Here are the habits that make the most difference, including those I use around my house.
Read more: The Top Home Security Myths You Need to Stop Believing
1. Keep the shutters on your security cams and smart displays closed
New smart devices have physical shutters and buttons to confirm privacy. Amazon
When smart displays first started appearing, they came with cameras to enable video chats and similar features. When those cameras started making people nervous, makers began putting physical shutters and off buttons on their smart devices so people could quickly shut them down and confirm the cameras couldn’t be used remotely.
In my experience, these cams rarely get much use and are best left turned off permanently until you’re ready to make a video call to a family member. The same is true of the mics in some smart speakers, which you can shut off when not in use if you’re worried about the speaker listening in. For the record, while you can find a lot of internet rumors about eavesdropping speakers, today’s models require the wake word to start listening in, and accidents are typically confined to picking up similar-sounding words in conversations, music or TVs.
The same is true of security cameras. Look for cams that have shutters or “off” positions (like facing down) if you’re concerned about privacy.
2. Switch off opt-in and data-sharing features
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