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How Safe Are Kids’ GPS Trackers and Smartwatches?

Steve Blair is the Senior Privacy and Security Test Program Leader at Consumer Reports , where he evaluates connected devices and digital products to uncover privacy and security risks. With a background spanning early internet technology, mobile hardware, and product security, he helps consumers better understand how their data is collected, used, and protected, especially in emerging technologies designed for families and children. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: • [00:00] Introduction • [3:03] Steve Blair’s career journey from working in various technology roles to Senior Privacy and Security Test Program Leader at Consumer Reports • [5:49] The privacy and security risks Consumer Reports found when testing GPS trackers and wearables designed for kids • [09:20] Tips for navigating privacy notices and app controls to determine how companies use, share, or sell children’s data • [12:21] The importance of hands-on testing when evaluating app or connected device data collection practices • [14:15] How parents can evaluate privacy risk by reviewing app permissions, default settings, and in-app privacy controls • [19:07] Practical steps parents can take when choosing connected devices designed for children • [22:13] Strategies for minimizing privacy and security risks when kids are required to use unavoidable apps • [24:31] Steve’s personal privacy and security tips In this episode… Connected devices designed for kids play a growing role in how families stay connected and informed. GPS trackers, smartwatches, and other apps and tools often promise safety and convenience, yet they also raise questions about how children’s data is collected, used, stored, and protected. The challenge is not whether these tools function as intended, but how they handle personal information once they are in use. How can parents gain confidence in the technology their children use every day while avoiding privacy and security risks? A practical starting point is to read privacy notices and product descriptions, then examine how devices and apps behave in practice. Reviewing default settings, questioning app permissions, and noting how easy privacy controls are to find can help parents manage risk and better understand how a company collects and handles kids' data. These considerations become especially important when children are required to use certain apps or connected devices to participate in school activities or other events. In this episode of She Said Privacy/He Said Security, Jodi and Justin Daniels talk with Steve Blair, Senior Privacy and Security Test Program Leader at Consumer Reports , about privacy and security risks in kids’ GPS trackers, wearables, and apps. Steve explains what Consumer Reports found when testing GPS trackers and wearables designed for children, and how hands-on testing helps parents better understand device privacy controls. He shares practical ways parents can assess app privacy and security protections, even without deep technical expertise. And Steve also shares practical privacy and security tips parents can use every day, like keeping devices updated, removing apps when they are no longer needed, and requesting data deletion when app use ends. Resources mentioned in this episode: • Jodi Daniels on LinkedIn -   / jodihoffmandaniels   • Justin Daniels on LinkedIn -   / justinsdaniels   • Red Clover Advisors’ website - https://redcloveradvisors.com/ • Red Clover Advisors on LinkedIn -   / redcloveradvisors   • Red Clover Advisors on Facebook -   / redcloveradvisors   • Red Clover Advisors’ email: info@redcloveradvisors.com • Data Reimagined: Building Trust One Byte at a Time by Jodi and Justin Daniels - https://redcloveradvisors.com/book-sa... • Steven Blair on LinkedIn -   / steven-blair-18b097118   • Consumer Reports - https://www.consumerreports.org/ Sponsor for this episode... This episode is brought to you by Red Clover Advisors. Red Clover Advisors uses data privacy to transform the way that companies do business together and create a future where there is greater trust between companies and consumers. Founded by Jodi Daniels, Red Clover Advisors helps companies to comply with data privacy laws and establish customer trust so that they can grow and nurture integrity. They work with companies in a variety of fields, including technology, e-commerce, professional services, and digital media. To learn more, and to check out their Wall Street Journal best-selling book, Data Reimagined: Building Trust One Byte At a Time, visit https://www.redcloveradvisors.com. Powered by Rise25 Podcast Production Company - https://rise25.com/