Huawei Watch

Warning: *Privacy Not Included with this product

Huawei Watch

Huawei
Bluetooth

Review date: Nov. 8, 2021

|
|

Mozilla says

|
People voted: Very creepy

These smartwatches come from Chinese tech manufacturer Huawei and tracks all things standard fitness trackers do — heart rate, blood oxygen levels, sleeps, stress, steps, calories and more. While available in Europe, it might be hard to find these products in North America because of the ban on Huawei products in the US over privacy and security concerns.

What could happen if something goes wrong?

Huawei's 5G technology is blocked in the US, as the company is labeled a national security threat in the country. Many other countries have issued bans on some of Huawei’s technology too. What does that mean for Huawei's fitness bands that are still popular in Europe and elsewhere around the world? For us, it raises some serious privacy questions.

Huawei collects and shares a large amount of data. They also say they can collect and share data about you from public and commercial sources. One way they share this data is with their business partners, who can use it to make predictions about your interests and send you ads. That’s a lot of data collection and sharing.

And while China has recently put in place a sweeping new privacy protection law, there are questions about how much access the Chinese government has to personal information collected and stored within China. All in all, it seems to us there are safer options for fitness trackers when it comes to protecting your privacy and security.

Tips to protect yourself

  • Be very careful who you chose to share your wellness data with.
  • Don't connect your app to any social networks like Facebook.
  • Minimize volumes of data collected about you by an app
  • Use two-factor authentication
  • mobile

Can it snoop on me? information

Camera

Device: No

App: Yes

Microphone

Device: No

App: Yes

Tracks location

Device: No

App: Yes

What can be used to sign up?

What data does the company collect?

How does the company use this data?

When permitted by law, Huawei will collect information about you from public and commercial sources. Your information may be shared within Huawei's affiliates "only for explicit, and legitimate purposes, and the sharing is limited only to information required by services." In addition, Huawei may share your data with business partners, and they may use it for the purposes of predicting your interests, advertising, and promotions, among other things.

How can you control your data?

You can delete your account in HUAWEI ID-related products. After you delete your account, they will stop providing products and services, and delete your personal data unless otherwise stipulated by law.

What is the company’s known track record of protecting users’ data?

Bad

In January 2020, Huawei reported a vulnerability regarding encryption of its phones.

There are also several reports of Huawei participating in development of technologies with questionable ethics. In 2020, it was reported that Huawei developed AI software used to suppress Uighur minorities in China. In 2019, the company was linked to building wireless networks in North Korea.

Huawei is labeled a national security threat by the United States

Can this product be used offline?

Yes

User-friendly privacy information?

No

Links to privacy information

Does this product meet our Minimum Security Standards? information

Yes

Encryption

Yes

Strong password

Yes

Security updates

N/A

The device pairs via Bluetooth

Manages vulnerabilities

Yes

Huawei has a bug bounty program.

Privacy policy

Yes

Does the product use AI? information

Yes

Is this AI untrustworthy?

Can’t Determine

What kind of decisions does the AI make about you or for you?

Huawei is using AI-based data processing to monitor heart rate.

Is the company transparent about how the AI works?

Can’t Determine

Does the user have control over the AI features?

Can’t Determine

*Privacy Not Included

Dive Deeper

  • Huawei tested AI software that could recognize Uighur minorities and alert police, report says
    Wash Link opens in a new tab
  • Leaked documents reveal Huawei’s secret operations to build North Korea’s wireless network
    The Washington Post Link opens in a new tab
  • The Huawei ban explained: A complete timeline and everything you need to know
    Android Authority Link opens in a new tab
  • Sweden Becomes Latest – and Among Most Forceful – to Ban Huawei From 5G
    The Diplomat Link opens in a new tab
  • US designates Huawei, four other Chinese tech firms national security threats
    DW Link opens in a new tab
  • Ignore China’s New Data Privacy Law at Your Peril
    Wired Link opens in a new tab

Comments

Got a comment? Let us hear it.