【Two Couples Affair in Broad Daylight】

Source：Wisdom Convergence Information Network Editor：Science Time：2025-06-27 02:23:58

Here are Two Couples Affair in Broad Daylightsome words to live by: Don't make data-collecting vibrators. Better yet, don't connect sex toys to the internet at all.

Standard Innovation, the maker of digitally-enabled vibrator the We-Vibe 4 Plus, has learnt the hard way. On Thursday, it settled a U.S. privacy violation suit to the tune of $3.75 million (A$4.95 million).

SEE ALSO: Marissa Mayer will get a cool $23 million when she loses her job

The story began in Aug. 2016, when two hackers at the Def Con conference in Las Vegas demonstrated how the vibrator sent personal information such as device temperature and vibration intensity back to its manufacturer. Not long after, a privacy violation lawsuit was filed against the Canadian company in an Illinois federal court.

One of the two plaintiffs, known only as N.P., alleged the device broke privacy and consumer protection laws by collecting "highly sensitive personally identifiable information" without notifying her. She also claimed time, data and usage data was sent, attached to the user's email address, to the company's Canadian servers.

Marketed as the "No. 1 couples vibrator," the vibrator connects to an app called We-Connect, which can be used to control the vibrator's mode and intensity remotely.

Mashable Light Speed Want more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories? Sign up for Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter. By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!

... perhaps they should consider leaving their vibrators offline all together. Data mining is not exactly a turn-on.

After the Def Con revelations, Frank Ferrari, president of Standard Innovation, argued the products recorded temperature "purely for hardware diagnostic purposes," but said the company was reviewing its privacy and data collection policies.

In the class action settlement agreement, the company has agreed to increase its privacy standards and to destroy the information it's already collected, including "the time and date of each use, the vibration intensity level selected by the user, the vibration mode or pattern selected by the user, the temperature of the device, and battery life."

Although it denies wrongdoing, Standard Innovation will also pay out up to $10,000 (A$13,238) to those who downloaded the We-Connect the app and used it with the vibrator before Sept. 26, 2016, as well as $199 (A$263) to those who purchased a Bluetooth-enabled We-Vibe product.

A Standard Innovation spokesperson said the company was pleased to have reached "a fair and reasonable settlement."

"At Standard Innovation we take customer privacy and data security seriously," he said. "We have enhanced our privacy notice, increased app security, provided customers more choice in the data they share, and we continue to work with leading privacy and security experts to improve the app."

Working in such an intimate business, perhaps they should consider leaving their vibrators offline all together. Data-mining is not exactly a turn-on.

Standard Innovation has been approached for comment about whether the data policy outlined in the settlement will apply for users outside the United States.

Featured Video For You

These flying robots will soothe your workday blues

Topics Cybersecurity Privacy

Previous：Assassin's Creed Origins: How Heavy is It on Your CPU?

Next：Best external hard drive deal:WD 5TB Elements for $114.99

【Two Couples Affair in Broad Daylight】

Related Articles

Related Recommendations

Categories

Latest Articles

Popular Articles

Hot Recommendations

Featured Column

Quick Links

Quick Links