North Dakota, Your Gadgets Have Secrets—Here’s How to Take Control

Are Your Smart Devices Spying on You? 

Picture this: You’re unwinding after a long day, watching TV or cooking in your air fryer. But did you know these devices might be collecting and sharing your data—sometimes with little transparency? 

A recent investigation found that popular smart gadgets, including air fryers, TVs, smartwatches, and speakers, are gathering user data—sometimes sending it overseas. Samsung’s smart TVs received the lowest privacy score, along with the Google Nest Mini, Huawei Ultimate smartwatch, and Cosori air fryer. 

It’s not just smart devices—your phone is listening too! We’ve all experienced talking about something, only to have ads for it suddenly pop up on Facebook or Google.  

A friend recently told me her son’s car died. She never posted about it, only talked to her dad, who sent a few car listings. Next thing she knew, her Williston connections were flooded with used car ads. BTW… she did find him a different car. 

Protect Your Privacy
Want more control over your data? Try these steps: 

• Opt Out When Possible – Disable unnecessary data collection during setup. 

• Review App Permissions – Check and limit app access to your location, contacts, and camera. 

• Delete Voice Recordings – Set Alexa or Google Assistant to auto-delete old recordings. 

• Read Privacy Policies – Skim data collection sections and exercise your right to limit tracking. 

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Taking a few precautions can help keep your data private while still enjoying your smart devices. 

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