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.

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.