COO and Co-Founder
UBON
In today’s fast-moving digital age, wearable devices have become silent companions of our daily lives. Whether you’re going for a morning walk, gym, tracking your sleep, or keeping an eye on your heart rate, these smart gadgets have silently found their place on our wrists, in our shoes, and even in our clothes. They help us stay active, keep our vital records, and give us subtle prompts throughout the day to stand up, drink water, or go to bed on time. But as helpful as they seem, a larger concern hides beneath the surface—how much of our personal information do they really collect, and how safe is it?
More than just fitness tracking
It’s easy to think of wearable devices as simple fitness tools. But modern devices do much more than count steps or monitor workouts, as they help to keep a track of your breathing, body temperature, sleep cycles, stress patterns, menstrual health, calorie burn, oxygen levels, and even location. With modern day technology, some wearables can even predict illness by detecting changes in your vital signs before you notice any symptoms in your body.
All of this might feel like a step towards better health, but in reality, it also means your device knows more about your body and habits than you might realise. What’s more concerning is that most of this data doesn’t stay on the device. It is usually synced to a mobile app and stored on servers far away—sometimes in another country—where it may be kept for years, used for analysis, or even shared with other parties.
The invisible agreement
Most people don’t pay much attention to the permissions they grant when they set up their wearable with their devices. In just a few taps, most of the users might agree to let the app access your location, contacts, messages, and more. It’s easy to accept everything quickly without reading the terms, but that invisible agreement often includes clauses that allow companies to use your personal information for marketing, promotion, research, or sharing with partners.
As a user you may think, “I have nothing to hide,” but this isn’t about hiding – its about giving control to the companies. Once your personal information is collected, it can be used to create a profile that reflects your health, lifestyle, and even habits. If the data is ever misused or leaked due to any issues, it could impact decisions related to insurance, job eligibility, or credit scoring.
When private data goes public
There have been many real-life cases where wearable device personal information was made public without users fully understanding the consequences. In one instance, information collected by devices was used to build a visual map of movement patterns without the consent of the user. While this may have been useful for tracking fitness trends, it also exposed private locations that the person visited frequently — places they thought no one else knew about — as they keep a record of your demographs.
Even when names are removed, personal information like this can often be linked back to individuals using other data. That means your daily day to day activities, where you live, or when you’re not home could be quietly visible to people or systems you never agreed to share it with.
The illusion of safety
Many individuals feel safe because they think their data is just floating inside their gadgets or being used only for their personal benefit – but wearable devices are part of a larger network that constantly connects to the web. If this system has weak points—such as poor passwords, outdated software, or low-level encryption—cybercriminals can get in and use your personal information against you.
In some cases without hacking the data get leaked because some companies don’t follow best practices in protecting user data. If a company stores information without enough security layers or fails to delete old data, it puts users personal information at risk. And if a device is sold, lost, or gifted without being reset properly, the new user might be able to access the previous owner’s personal data.
India’s growing data awareness
India took a big step forward to protect user’s data by introducing the Digital Personal Data Protection Act in 2023. This law gives individuals the right to know how their data is being collected and used. It also enable users to request deletion of their data and ensures that companies must get clear permission before collecting personal information.
While this law is promising, the real challenge lies in spreading awareness among the users. Many people, especially in smaller towns or tier 2-3 cities or non-English speaking areas, don’t yet aware about their digital rights. Wearable device makers often bury their policies in technical language, making it hard for the common middle class to understand what they’re agreeing to.
More than a privacy problem
Beyond the legal and security aspects of wearable devices, there’s also the emotional impact of constant monitoring. For some, the data becomes overwhelming. If a wearable shows poor sleep scores or constant stress alerts, it may create more anxiety rather than improve well-being. Others begin to rely too much on the device’s feedback and lose touch with how they actually feel — the device tries to control that person.
Moreover, if schools or companies start encouraging or requiring wearable use for performance tracking or health checks, it may lead to pressure or discomfort. An individual might feel forced to give up their data in exchange for benefits or acceptance.
Moving forward with care
In this modern day life, technology is going to stay, and wearables will only get smarter. But the conversation about privacy must evolve just as quickly. Organisations’ need to be more transparent and offer settings that allow users to choose how much data they want to share. In the policy terms, governments must ensure laws are not just written, but enforced. And most importantly, device users must become more thoughtful about what they allow and why.
Instead of blindly accepting all permissions to apps, take a moment to adjust the settings. Think about whether you truly need every feature — and when in doubt, don’t share what you’re not comfortable giving away.
Conclusion: Protecting what’s personal
Wearables offer a new way to understand our bodies and live healthier lives — but as they become part of us, they also carry the responsibility of protecting our most personal data. Privacy isn’t about hiding secrets—it’s about having the freedom to choose what we share and with whom.
Let us enjoy the benefits of technology without giving up our boundaries. In this race for better health and convenience, let’s make sure privacy doesn’t become the price we unknowingly pay.
-Lalit Arora is the COO and Co-Founder of UBON
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