Wirecutter takes security and privacy issues seriously and investigates, as much as possible, how the companies whose products we recommend deal with customer data. We reached out to the companies that produce our top picks and asked them to provide information that we think is of primary concern for any potential buyer. Here’s what we learned:
What specific user data do you collect (location, voice requests, user data, etc.)?
Google: We collect information about activity in our services, which can be used to tailor and recommend content on the home screen. This can be viewed in the privacy policy. The user is able to visit their Google Account at any time to manage activity information used for content recommendations.
Where is that data stored and what measures are taken to secure it?
Google: Google stores the data, and it is encrypted using 256-bit keys by default; Google uses standard NIST-recommended crypto algorithms (like AES CTR + SHA1 HMAC, AES GCM).
What, if any, data is shared, sold, or accessible to third parties or affiliated parts of your organization, including via API and other integrations?
Google: None of this data is sold outside of Google.In select instances, we share limited user data with third-party apps to optimize the user experience—for example, to enable seamless login across devices. In these instances, a user must consent to sharing their information as part of the onboarding process, and they have the option to change their preferences and opt out at any time. Only the data required to enable the product experience is shared.
A user can also choose to link their Google Account to Movies Anywhere for access to purchased and rented content from other platforms. By doing so, the user is sharing their content library with Movies Anywhere.
Users can unlink their accounts at any time.
If customer data is shared or sold, are customers notified, and are there provisions to secure that data after it has been transferred to a third party?
Are your customers able to opt out of sharing some or all of their data—and if so, how?
Google: Yes, this is built into the setup process. At any time, the user is able to visit Privacy in the Google TV Settings to manage permissions or visit My Google Activity to view and delete captured watch history. There is also an apps-only mode on the device that people can use to turn off personalized recommendations entirely.
Does your device contain inactive or active but unadvertised hardware integration such as sensors, triggering always-on microphones, or location services?
Google: There are no unadvertised hardware integrations. You can find more information via Google Support.
