Garmin Index Smart Scale
Review date: 11/02/2020
Let's be honest, tracking all those steps with a fitness wearable is nice. Seeing the benefits of all those steps when you take that step onto the scale is much nicer. Garmin's "smart scale with connected features" gives you a way to bring all those metrics -- weight, body mass index, body fat, skeletal muscle mass and more -- together. Pair up this WiFi and Bluetooth connect scale with the same app your Garmin fitness tracker uses and you've got all your fitness and body info right there in one place. Now get stepping.
What could happen if something goes wrong
Garmin seems to do a great job handling the privacy and security of all the personal data this smart scale collects. Garmin doesn't share or sell your data for marketing purposes. And it de-identifies the data it collects so it's (hopefully) not personally identifiable. We say hopefully because, depending on the kind of data, it’s been found to be pretty easy to de-anonymize these data sets and track down an individual’s patterns, especially with location data. Although unlikely, if someone happened to get into the details of your app, they'd be able to see a whole bunch of metrics about your body you might not want seen.
Privacy
Can it snoop on me?
Camera
Device: No
App: Yes
Microphone
Device: No
App: No
Tracks Location
Device: No
App: Yes
What is required to sign up?
Yes
Phone
No
Third party account
No
What data does it collect?
Personal
Name, email address
Biometric
Weight, body mass index, body fat, skeletal muscle mass, visceral fat
Social
How does it use this data?
How can you control your data?
What is the company’s known track record for protecting users’ data?
No known incidents in the last 2 years.
Can this product be used offline?
User friendly privacy information?
Links to privacy information
Security
Does this product meet our Minimum Security Standards?
Encryption
Uses encryption in transit and at rest. All Garmin devices run over a secure Bluetooth connection from a mobile app.
Strong password
Devices connect over a secure Bluetooth connection with an app on your phone or tablet. In order to use the app, an account with a strong password is required.
Security updates
Updates are pushed automatically when you pair your device with the companion app.
Manages vulnerabilities
Garmin doesn't have an official bug bounty program, but it invites responsible disclosure of security vulnerabilities.
Privacy policy
Garmin has a privacy summary page that highlights the high level points in a easy to read format.
