The Bundesnetzagentur, Germany’s telecommunication agency has banned smartwatches for kids and is now asking parents to destroy them.
According to Bleeping Computer, the regulators have concluded smartwatches targeted at kids “prohibitive listening devices” and are asking parents to destroy any smartwatches their kids have and advising schools to pay closer attention to kids who use them.
Germany is focusing their attention on the listening capabilities of smartwatches but strangely did not say anything about the European Consumer Organization’s (BEUC) announcement that smartwatches currently pose a security risk to kids’ privacy. The BEUC warned that GPS-tracking smartwatches run the risk of getting hacked and evil-doers could track or spoof the GPS location of kids’ smartwatches.
If Europe’s shutdown on smartwatches continues, it could affect business earnings and ultimately force manufacturers to step up their security protocols for smartwatches.