Children’s watches may have hidden risks

Expert interviewed: Li Weilan, deputy director of the maternal and infant evaluation division of Shenzhen Quality Consumption Research Institute

Our reporter Zhang Jian

With the popularity of smart devices, A "smart watch" that integrates functions such as monitoring children's safety, calling and socializing is loved by many parents and children, and the market sales are very hot.

According to industry agency data, as of February 2, 2020, there are more than 300 types of children's smart watches sold in the Chinese market, accounting for more than 1/3 of the overall smart watch market. It is expected that sales in 2020 will Breaking through 50 million yuan. However, the article "Children's Smart Watches Become a Security Nightmare" published on the website of the American monthly magazine "Wired" not long ago said that children's smart watches have security flaws and are very easy to be exploited by hackers. Researchers at the University of Applied Sciences Münster in Germany tested the safety of six brands of children's smart watches. It was found that there are 5 brands of children's smart watches that can be abused by hackers to locate, send messages and other functions. The security vulnerabilities of some of these watches are more serious. Hackers can pretend to be parents and send voice and text messages to their children, intercept communications between parents and children, and even record the audio in the child's surroundings for eavesdropping. The German government’s internet watchdog has ordered a ban on the sale of children’s “smartwatches”. The Norwegian Consumers Association has also called for a ban on the sale and use of children's smartwatches across Europe.

Previously, a domestic network security feedback agency also pointed out that 13 of the top 32 smartwatches sold on an e-commerce platform have security vulnerabilities, which can lead to children being monitored in real time by hackers and obtaining children's daily movements. It can even extract sensitive information such as parents’ mobile phone numbers from the watch, laying hidden dangers for the safety of children and even families. "Life Times" reporters also found that the current price of children's watches on the market ranges from a few hundred yuan to thousands of yuan, and even some high-end brand smart watches are as high as five to six thousand yuan. The functions are more diverse. In addition to phone calls, positioning, and chat, there are also functions such as making friends, English translation, heart rate monitoring, and SOS, all of which involve some information security issues.

Shenzhen is the "industry capital" of children's smart watches. More than 80% of the country's children's smart watches are produced in Shenzhen. Previously, due to the lack of national standards and regulations, the market was mixed, and various problems such as information security vulnerabilities and personal safety caused by materials frequently occurred. Li Weilan said that in terms of the safety risks of using children's smart watches, in addition to information security, a qualified children's smart watch must also consider the following points:

1. Chemical safety. It mainly refers to some invisible hazards such as product materials. For example, the total content of arsenic, mercury, lead, and cadmium should comply with the corresponding national standards. If the parts that directly and long-term contact with the human skin surface are made of inferior materials, it will pose potential risks to children's health.

2. Battery safety. Battery safety is a hot topic that consumers have always been concerned about. In previous evaluations, Li Weilan found that some samples caught fire during the battery overcharge test, posing safety risks.

3. Physical security. The surface should be free from accessible dangerous sharp edges, sharp points and burrs. The aging resistance of plastic parts exposed to damp heat, water spray and salt spray should be tested as required without deformation or breakage. The strap and buckle should have sufficient mechanical strength. After the torsion test and the tensile test, the strap or buckle should have no obvious looseness, deformation or falling off. If the watch is accidentally dropped and the physical performance of the watch fails, some parts may be exposed, such as a broken screen, scratches or leakage of electricity.

When parents buy children’s smart watches for their children, Li Weilan reminds parents that they must pay attention to several points:

1. Before purchasing, pay attention to the warning slogans on the outer packaging or instructions.

2. Purchase brand products through formal channels. When purchasing, check whether the instructions, maintenance cards, inspection certificates, etc. are complete. When purchasing on e-commerce platforms, officially authorized stores are more reliable.

3. Although children’s smart watches have many functions, you cannot ignore the most basic functions when purchasing, such as calls, positioning, and battery life.

4. Read the instructions carefully before using the product. If it is purchased for younger children, such as 3 to 6 years old, parents must strictly follow the instructions and precautions and use it in a standardized way to ensure the information security and personal safety of themselves and their children.