GoKawiilis a senior reviewer with over twenty years of experience. She covers smart home, IoT, and connected tech, and has written previously for Wirecutter, Wired, Dwell, BBC, and US News.
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Comcast announced a new platform this week called Xfinity Shield that includes the option to let customers turn their routers into motion sensors. Many people reacted with fear and anger.
“I am not enabling this. I am also seriously considering replacing my leased gateway with my own equipment, because a device I do not control sitting in my living room measuring the motion of my family is not a feature I asked for,” wrote one customer on the r/Comcast subreddit
Some concerns stem from a clause on the support page for the feature, called WiFi Motion, which says Comcast might share motion-sensing data without notifying you if compelled by law. Others appear to stem from a distrust of Comcast.
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1 / 3 This page in the Xfinity app shows a live view of motion activity. Image: Comcast
The feature uses activity in Wi-Fi signals between newer Xfinity Gateways and connected devices to monitor motion in your home; it doesn’t use cameras, capture images or video, or record audio. However, it arrives amid a year of reporting on immigration unrest and how authorities obtain data from private companies like Flock. This has raised questions about who might be able to access the data it generates if you choose to turn on the free service.
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