Found out my "smart" office chair was tracking my keystrokes

I picked up this fancy ergonomic chair at a startup liquidation sale last month. Connected it to the app, figured it would just adjust lumbar support or whatever. Nope. The fine print said it logged typing speed and sitting posture data for "workplace optimization." My office manager saw the report and asked if I needed a break because my typing dropped 40% after lunch. Creepy as hell. Anyone else find hidden tracking in their tech gear?

3 comments

3 Comments

murray.jana12d ago

A buddy of mine bought a "smart" treadmill desk last year. He figured it was just a motorized desk with a walking pad, nothing fancy. Turns out the thing had a camera that took photos of his face every 30 minutes to check if he looked tired or stressed. His employer got a report that said he was "showing signs of fatigue" on Tuesday afternoons. He unplugged the desk that same day and put a piece of tape over the lens. Never connected it to wifi again. Just wanted a desk that moved, not a boss that watched his face.

karen_sanchez4912d ago

Well isn't that just the cherry on top of the modern workplace. My idea of a fitness tracker is still just getting winded walking up the stairs, so I doubt a camera would even need to check my face to know I'm tired.

avery21912d ago

3 years ago I woulda called you paranoid. Then I installed a "smart" thermostat at home. Found out it tracked when I left for work and came home. Sold that data to my landlord. My rent went up 8% the next month. @murray.jana's story about the treadmill desk camera reminds me of that. These companies hide whole surveillance systems inside regular stuff.