The Shocking Reality: A Roomba Captures Private Moments

In 2020, a woman participating in a development program for iRobot’s Roomba J7 series was subjected to an egregious breach of privacy. While she was using the toilet in her own home, the robot vacuum snapped photos that were later leaked and posted to private Facebook groups. These images were not supposed to be seen by anyone outside the testing program, yet they made their way to the public.

iRobot, the company behind Roomba, explained that these were pre-production units used for training AI systems, not the commercial models sold to the public. The devices were provided to contractors who agreed to allow image and data capture for research. Even so, the shocking reality remains: if test products can gather intimate images that later end up online, what’s stopping your own smart devices from doing the same?

These images were eventually accessed by third-party contractors working for Scale AI, a company hired to help improve iRobot’s artificial intelligence. This highlights a significant issue with today’s smart tech: the more companies and people who have access to your data, the more likely it is that it will leak, be stolen, or be misused.

Amazon’s Ecosystem: A Closer Look at Data Collection

Amazon owns iRobot, and this incident is far from an isolated case within their portfolio of smart home devices. From Roombas that take photos to Alexa recording your voice, and Ring cameras capturing your doorstep and beyond, Amazon has created an ecosystem that constantly collects personal information under the guise of convenience.

Every command you give Alexa is stored. Every video your Ring camera captures is potentially accessed by others. Even when you ask Amazon to delete your recordings, it has been reported that some of that data may still remain on servers or be retained longer than expected. In 2023, Amazon was fined $25 million for violating children’s privacy laws by keeping Alexa voice recordings from kids even after deletion requests.

And it doesn’t stop there. Amazon’s Ring product was fined $5.8 million for giving unnecessary access to private videos. Employees and contractors reportedly had the ability to watch videos recorded in users’ homes. Some of these videos included sensitive footage of families inside their own residences—without their knowledge or consent.

Amazon claims these actions are intended to enhance the user experience or improve AI, but they raise a deeper question: how much privacy are you willing to give up for convenience?

The Broader Landscape: Other Tech Giants and Privacy

While Amazon takes much of the heat, other major players like Google and Apple also participate in data harvesting. Google’s Nest devices can detect motion, listen for sounds, and integrate with your home’s ecosystem to gather behavioral data. Apple’s HomeKit, while marketed as privacy-first, still gathers metadata and usage patterns that can be leveraged.

Even smart light bulbs, thermostats, and baby monitors are collecting user data—such as when you’re home, your habits, and your preferences. A study by Surfshark Research Center found that most smart home apps request access to far more personal data than they need, including your location, contacts, photos, and more. In the hands of companies that profit off data, your privacy becomes a currency.

What makes this more concerning is the lack of consistent regulation across the board. Some companies encrypt and anonymize data; others do not. Consumers are left navigating a maze of privacy policies that are dense, confusing, and often misleading.

Understanding the Legal Framework

The reason companies can legally collect and use your personal information is because you “agree” to it—usually by clicking “I Accept” on lengthy user agreements. These agreements are designed to protect the company, not you.

Most users don’t read the full terms and conditions. And even when they do, the language is often so complex that understanding the full extent of data collection is nearly impossible. These terms often grant the company rights to use your data for product improvement, marketing, AI training, and even to share with third-party vendors.

While some privacy laws exist, such as the GDPR in Europe or the CCPA in California, they often do not go far enough—or lack meaningful enforcement. Even with these laws in place, companies find loopholes and workarounds that allow them to continue harvesting your information.

The bottom line? You may technically own your smart home devices, but the data they collect doesn’t belong to you—it belongs to the company.

Protecting Your Family: Steps to Enhance Privacy

You don’t have to surrender your home’s privacy just because you want to enjoy smart tech. There are steps you can take to protect yourself and your family:

• Review Privacy Settings: Go into each app or device and adjust the privacy and security settings. Turn off voice recording history, disable camera features when not in use, and opt out of data sharing where possible.
• Limit Device Placement: Avoid putting devices like Roombas, security cameras, or smart speakers in bathrooms, bedrooms, or other private areas. Stick to common areas where privacy concerns are lower.
• Disconnect When Not in Use: Many smart devices do not need to be on 24/7. Power off or disconnect them from Wi-Fi when they’re not being used to minimize passive data collection.
• Regularly Delete Data: Most smart device apps allow you to delete voice recordings, videos, or browsing histories. Make this a regular habit.
• Use Firewalls or Network Isolation: Set up a guest network on your Wi-Fi for your smart devices. This keeps them isolated from your computers, phones, and more sensitive data.
• Educate Your Household: Make sure everyone in your home—especially kids—understands the risks. Even something as innocent as asking Alexa a question can be stored and analyzed.
• Check for Firmware Updates: Keeping your smart devices updated ensures you have the latest security patches and privacy enhancements.

iDefend’s Privacy Plan: Your Partner in Data Protection

Let’s face it—managing privacy settings, reading terms of service, and removing personal information from data brokers is overwhelming. That’s where iDefend comes in.

iDefend’s Privacy Plan includes everything you need to protect your family’s digital footprint. Our advisors will help you configure your devices for maximum privacy, set up secure networks, and remove your personal information from online databases. We can help identify if your devices are collecting more than they should and ensure you take back control of your data.

You wouldn’t let a stranger film your family in your home—so why let a robot vacuum do it?