Is Your Smart Home Spying on You?
Your home may be getting smarter — but it may also be collecting more information than you realize.
Smart speakers can respond to your voice. Smart doorbells can recognize people and packages. Robot vacuums can map rooms. Smart TVs can track viewing behavior. Thermostats can learn your routines.
These features are convenient, but they also raise an important question:
How much information are your smart devices collecting about you and your home?
This is becoming a bigger issue as artificial intelligence moves from smartphones and computers into everyday household products.
A 2026 Pew Research Center survey found that 35% of U.S. adults have an AI-enabled smart speaker, 18% have an AI-enabled smart doorbell, 13% have an AI-enabled robot vacuum and 11% have an AI-enabled smart thermostat.
Even more interestingly, 71% of U.S. adults surveyed said they believe increased use of AI will make their personal information less secure.
So should you throw your smart devices away?
No.
But you should understand what they can collect and take a few simple steps to protect your privacy.
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1. AI Smart Speakers
Smart speakers are among the most common AI-enabled devices in American homes.
Products such as smart speakers can answer questions, play music, control smart-home devices and respond to voice commands.
According to Pew Research Center, 35% of U.S. adults report having an AI-enabled smart speaker.
Why privacy matters
Voice assistants need to process your commands to respond.
Depending on the device and settings, voice interactions may involve recordings or other data being processed by the manufacturer’s systems.
That doesn’t automatically mean someone is sitting and listening to everything happening in your home.
However, it does mean you should understand your device’s privacy settings.
What you should check
Look inside the manufacturer’s app and review:
- Voice recording history
- Automatic deletion settings
- Personalized advertising settings
- Microphone controls
- Third-party integrations
- Account security
If you rarely use the microphone, consider muting it when you don’t need the voice assistant.
2. AI Video Doorbells
Smart doorbells are extremely useful.
You can see who is at your door while you’re at work, receive package alerts and sometimes get notifications when a person or other activity is detected.
Pew found that 18% of U.S. adults have an AI-enabled smart doorbell.
But a doorbell camera is also monitoring an area around your home.
That means privacy and security should be part of your setup.
Check these settings:
1. Who can access your camera?
Review the accounts connected to the device.
2. Is two-factor authentication enabled?
If your device supports it, turn it on.
3. How long are recordings stored?
Check the manufacturer’s retention settings.
4. Who can view the camera?
Remove old users or people who no longer need access.
The FTC recommends using strong, unique passwords, enabling security features and keeping camera software updated.
3. Robot Vacuums
This is one of the most interesting examples of AI entering everyday life.
Modern robot vacuums can use sensors and cameras to understand the environment around them.
Some can create maps of your home so they know where rooms, furniture and obstacles are located.
Pew reports that 13% of U.S. adults have an AI-enabled robot vacuum.
That means a device designed to clean your floors can potentially have information about the layout of your home.
What should you do?
Open the vacuum’s app and check:
- Mapping settings
- Camera settings, if applicable
- Cloud storage
- Account permissions
- Data-sharing options
- Firmware updates
If your vacuum has features you don’t use, consider disabling them.
4. Smart TVs
Your television isn’t just a television anymore.
Today’s smart TVs can connect to streaming services, apps, voice assistants and the internet.
That creates convenience — but also creates additional opportunities for data collection.
The FTC specifically recommends checking tracking settings on smart TVs and removing apps you don’t use.
Your smart TV privacy checklist
Go through your TV settings and look for options related to:
- Viewing data
- Personalized advertising
- Voice recognition
- Automatic content recognition
- App permissions
- Microphone access
- Camera access, if available
You don’t necessarily need to disable everything.
The goal is to understand what you have enabled.
5. AI Smart Thermostats
Smart thermostats can learn your preferred temperatures and schedules.
That’s one of their biggest advantages.
But the same data that helps automate your home can also reveal patterns about when the home is occupied or how people use it.
Pew found that 11% of U.S. adults have an AI-enabled smart thermostat.
What to check
Review:
- Location permissions
- Scheduling data
- Account access
- Third-party integrations
- Sharing settings
- Software updates
If your thermostat doesn’t need location access for a feature you use, consider turning it off.
6. Smart Security Cameras
Security cameras can provide valuable protection.
They can help you monitor your home, children, pets or property while you’re away.
But cameras also create one of the most sensitive types of household data:
video and audio from inside or around your home.
The FTC warns that internet-connected cameras can be vulnerable to unauthorized access and recommends strong passwords, software updates and appropriate security settings.
A simple camera security checklist
- Use a unique password.
- Enable two-factor authentication.
- Update the camera firmware.
- Review who has access.
- Check camera-sharing permissions.
- Review stored recordings.
- Disable remote access if you don’t need it.
- Avoid placing cameras in highly private areas.
The FTC also suggests considering whether cameras offer encryption and appropriate controls for remote viewing.
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7. Smart Watches and Other Connected Devices
Smart-home privacy isn’t limited to devices sitting inside your house.
Smart watches, phones, fitness devices and other connected products can collect information about activity, location and usage.
CISA describes the broader Internet of Things as including devices such as cars, appliances, smart watches, lighting, home assistants and home security products.
The more connected devices you have, the more important it becomes to know what accounts and apps are connected to them.
Are Smart Devices Actually “Spying” on You?
This is where it’s important to separate privacy concerns from sensational headlines.
Calling every smart device a “spy” isn’t accurate.
Most smart devices collect information because they need data to provide their advertised functions.
For example:
A smart thermostat needs information about temperature and schedules.
A robot vacuum needs environmental information to navigate.
A smart doorbell needs video to provide security alerts.
A voice assistant needs to process voice commands.
The real issue is:
What information is collected, where is it stored, who can access it and how long is it retained?
Those are the questions consumers should be asking.
7 Things You Should Do Today to Protect Your Smart Home
You don’t need to be a cybersecurity expert.
Start with these seven steps.
1. Change Default Passwords
Never leave a smart device using its factory password if you can change it.
CISA recommends changing default security settings and using strong passwords or passphrases for IoT devices.
2. Turn On Two-Factor Authentication
If your smart-home account supports two-factor authentication, enable it.
This creates an additional security layer if your password is compromised.
The FTC also recommends two-factor authentication for connected devices when available.
3. Update Your Devices
Don’t ignore firmware updates.
Updates can include security fixes as well as new features.
The FTC recommends keeping connected devices and their apps updated.
4. Check App Permissions
Open the apps connected to your smart devices.
Ask:
Does this app really need access to my microphone, location, camera or contacts?
If not, consider removing the permission.
CISA recommends reviewing app permissions and avoiding unnecessary access requests.
5. Secure Your Wi-Fi Router
Your router is the gateway connecting many of your devices to the internet.
The FTC recommends using strong encryption such as WPA3 or WPA2, changing default router credentials and keeping router software updated.
If your router supports a guest network, you can also use it to separate some devices from your primary network.
6. Remove Devices You Don’t Use
Have an old smart camera sitting in a drawer?
An unused device that is still connected to your account or network may create unnecessary security risk.
Disconnect devices you no longer need.
The FTC specifically recommends disabling or disconnecting older or unused connected devices.
7. Check How Long the Manufacturer Provides Updates
This is something many consumers forget.
Before buying a smart device, check how long the manufacturer promises to provide software updates.
The FTC notes that manufacturers don’t always make this information easy to find.
A cheap smart device isn’t necessarily a good deal if it stops receiving security updates quickly.
What Should You Do If You Already Own Lots of Smart Devices?
Don’t panic.
You don’t need to replace everything.
Instead, make a simple inventory.
Write down:
Device → App → Account → Password → 2FA → Updates → Privacy settings
Then go through your devices one by one.
Start with the devices that have the most sensitive access:
- Security cameras
- Video doorbells
- Smart speakers
- Computers
- Phones
- Smart TVs
- Other connected appliances
This approach is much easier than trying to secure your entire home in one afternoon.
The Bottom Line
Smart-home technology can make life easier.
Your doorbell can alert you about a package.
Your thermostat can adjust the temperature automatically.
Your robot vacuum can clean while you’re at work.
Your smart speaker can answer questions without you touching your phone.
But convenience comes with a trade-off:
More connected devices can mean more data, more accounts and more potential security risks.
The good news is that you don’t have to give up smart-home technology.
Instead, take control of it.
Change default passwords. Enable two-factor authentication. Update your devices. Review permissions. Secure your Wi-Fi. Remove devices you no longer use.
And before buying your next AI-powered gadget, ask one simple question:
“What information does this device need from me to work?”
That’s a question every smart-home owner should be asking in 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do smart home devices listen to you?
Some voice-enabled devices need to process audio to respond to commands. The exact way recordings and voice data are handled depends on the manufacturer, device and settings. Check your device’s privacy controls and recording settings.
Can smart doorbells be hacked?
Internet-connected cameras can be targeted by attackers, which is why the FTC recommends strong unique passwords, software updates, security features and careful control of remote access.
Can a robot vacuum see inside my home?
Some robot vacuums use sensors or cameras to navigate. Depending on the model, they may create maps or process environmental information. Check the manufacturer’s privacy policy and app settings for your specific device.
How do I make my smart home more secure?
Start by securing your Wi-Fi router, changing default passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, updating devices, reviewing app permissions and disconnecting devices you no longer use.
Are smart TVs tracking what I watch?
Smart TVs can collect viewing and usage information depending on the manufacturer, apps and enabled settings. The FTC recommends checking tracking settings and removing apps you don’t use.
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