Warning: *Privacy Not Included with this product
Mi Band 5
Xiaomi
Bluetooth
Mi--owned by Beijing-based Xiaomi--offers a lower cost health and fitness tracker. It tracks what most fitness trackers track--heart rate, sleep, stress, steps, calories, menstrual cycles, and more. Should you trust it? Xiaomi, the parent company of Mi, was recently caught secretly collecting data on some users, so buyer beware.
What could happen if something goes wrong?
Xiaomi--the company that makes the Mi Band--has recently come under fire when researchers found that Xiaomi was secretly collecting users' data during private web browsing and phone use. This is a huge yikes! And we found the "Your Rights" section of their privacy statement ito be incomplete. Another yikes. We also can't guarantee this product meets our Minimum Security Standards as the company didn't take the time to respond to our question about how they handle security vulnerabilities. All in all, we warn this band that tracks some of your most personal biometric data comes with *Privacy Not Included. Buyer beware.
Can it snoop on me?
Camera
Device: No
App: Yes
Microphone
Device: No
App: Yes
Tracks location
Device: No
App: Yes
What can be used to sign up?
Yes
Phone
No
Third-party account
Yes
What data does the company collect?
Personal
Name, email, phone number, gender
Body related
Heart rate, movement, sleep data, menstrual cycle, and more
Social
How does the company use this data?
How can you control your data?
What is the company’s known track record of protecting users’ data?
Researchers found that Xiaomi was secretly collecting users' data during private browsing sessions.
Can this product be used offline?
User-friendly privacy information?
Links to privacy information
Does this product meet our Minimum Security Standards?
Encryption
Strong password
Security updates
Manages vulnerabilities
Xiaomi has a bug bounty program, which means that anyone who finds a security issue and discloses it responsibly may get paid. https://hackerone.com/xiaomi?type=team
Privacy policy
Does the product use AI?
The global edition of the Mi Band 5 does not have access to the Xiaomi smart assistant known as Xiao AI.
Dive Deeper
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Exclusive: Warning Over Chinese Mobile Giant Xiaomi Recording Millions Of People’s ‘Private’ Web And Phone UseThomas Brewster
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Xiaomi, accused of tracking 'private' phone use, defends data practicesCarrie Mihalcik and Laura Hautala
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