You download a new app, eager to get past the sign-in page and all the pop-ups asking you if you’re super sure you don’t want to pay for the premium version. When you’re almost there, the app asks you to agree to a lengthy privacy policy. If you’re like me and you lack caution, you hastily check yes and move on.
This scenario is becoming an increasingly common problem as more gadgets require companion apps to control them. And sex toys are no exception.
With research showing that the global sex toy market continues to grow steadily—it’s expected to top $80 billion by 2030—it only makes sense that this wildly popular electronics sector also turned to app-pairing technology. Of course, if you’re worried about a paired app collecting data about how you’re using the device, it might be alarming to consider what types of data a sex toy’s app is tracking.
“App-connected sex toys could be collecting highly sensitive data,” says Ray Walsh, a digital privacy expert at the consumer research site Comparitech. Walsh says the types of data collected potentially include sexual behavior data, usage frequency, intensity settings, partner connections, location data, and IP addresses. “Sexual behavior data,” explains Walsh, refers to information such as which toy you’re using, how you’re using it, and which functions you’re using. If the toy has an app that enables you to connect with another partner for long-distance play, then the app could also collect data from whoever you’re using it with.
Most companies that collect data will claim they’re doing so to improve their products–if, for instance, they’re collecting data on which modes or intensities are being used and notice most users are keeping it on the highest setting, they might use this information to make future toys that offer stronger vibrations. Companies can also use the data to market new features or products to you. A spokesperson for the sex toy brand Lelo tells me data collection is used to help the company better tailor any marketing or advertisements it might target you with.
But collected data can also end up being scooped up by data brokers if a company decides to sell its customer data to make a buck, says Chris Hauk, consumer privacy champion at Pixel Privacy. “Brokers can sell the data to anyone who wants it and can afford to pay for it. This can include the government, private investigators, advertisers, and any other nosy party,” he says.
Paul Bischoff, a consumer privacy advocate at Comparitech also adds that the reason some sex toy companies will sell information to data brokers is simply to create a second stream of revenue. “Brokers can then match and package it with data they’ve collected from other sources, then sell it to advertisers who use it to target their audience. Each app user’s data is associated with an email address, device ID, IP address, tracking cookie, or some other identifier used to target them with ads,” Bischoff says. That means any collected data that ends up being sold is passing through quite a few parties.
Whether or not you can opt out of your data being sold—or even be notified in the first place—depends on where you live, Bischoff says, as the laws requiring companies to notify you differ between US states and other regions. For example, the California Consumer Privacy Act requires that businesses disclose to Californians if they sell their personal information and provide those consumers a right to opt out.
What to Look For
If you’re already feeling a little skeezed out, know that there are steps you can take to protect your privacy. Since you don’t need to own a sex toy to download its app, I was able to do some exploring. I downloaded various sex toy apps to look at what kinds of information they were asking for and whether they were requesting my permission before accessing my personal information or the various components of my phone.
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Let’s start with Siri. Apple says that although there are laws in place preventing apps from automatically enabling permissions, many apps will still switch on Siri access when you download it, most commonly through the “Learn from this app” feature. Since Siri is part of Apple’s operating system, Bischoff explains that although Siri won’t see inside the app, Apple could still be privy to highly personal patterns such as when and how often you’re using your toy. So for an extra layer of privacy, you may want to decline when the “Learn from this app” pop up appears on iPhones.
You can also take a look at the app’s privacy information prior to download in your phone’s app store. Look for language that states the app may collect data linked to your identity, including your contact information.
Wi-Fi-enabled toys may pose additional concerns. Sex toy manufacturer Svakom, for instance, drew attention back in 2015 when it started selling a vibrator, called the Siime Eye, with a unique design featuring a camera built into the tip. The toy’s operation didn’t just involve an app, but Wi-Fi as well. The toy’s default Wi-Fi password to access the camera’s stream was “88888888,” which anyone could find by reading the manual online. Customers who didn’t bother to change the default were left with an easily hackable feed anyone in Wi-Fi range could watch. Yikes. (The brand has since discontinued the model.)
Despite that past vulnerability, Svakom’s current app for its other connected products feels much safer. It lets you create an account, or skip registering and just use it as a guest. Furthermore, the company’s privacy policy explicitly states that no data from unregistered users will be collected, and those users will still be able to access all of the app’s functions. Other brands also offer this; We-Vibe’s app offers a similar option for guest users.
The Satisfyer Connect app was also very forward about its privacy policy, allowing users to opt out of any data collection before continuing into the app. Additionally, Satisfyer’s privacy policy was easy to read, divided into sections and using layman’s terms as much as possible.
How to Protect Yourself
Anyone who uses app-connected sex toys might be sweating right now and questioning their purchase. Thankfully, there are steps you can take as safeguards.
Treat each sex toy’s app like a physical product. If you’re reading reviews before deciding on a sex toy, then do the same research for their app. You can find app reviews on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Some YouTube reviews or Reddit forums can be very thorough, as can the reviews on the company’s product page. Users will often discuss how honest the brand was about the app’s data usage intentions.
After you buy a toy or download the app, toggle off any permissions you’re not comfortable granting. If you want to check which permissions are already enabled, head to your phone’s settings and scroll down to “Apps”, tap on the app and look at what it has permission to access. Can it access your camera? Siri? Contacts? Toggling those off might make the app less useful, but the app will know far less about you as a result.
However, remember that just disabling access to your personal information doesn’t fully protect you. These measures would still potentially leave the door open for companies to learn about certain behaviors, such as how often you log in, what buttons you press, and how you interact with the sex toy.
“Even with permissions toggled off to prevent an app-connected sex toy from accessing device-level features like your camera, microphone, GPS, and contacts, it doesn’t definitively prevent the app from collecting behavioral data,” Walsh says.
Some apps will require you to enable specific permissions just to use it. This can vary based on your mobile operating system, but just because an app asks you to enable a specific permission doesn’t mean the app will definitely use the information that permission exposes.
The privacy policies you encounter when launching an app can be long and filled with obscure jargon. But Katrina Rosseini, a cybersecurity expert at Ascendant Group, recommends scanning the policy for certain key phrases and words before clicking “OK” to dismiss it. She says to be wary of vague phrases like “we may share your data with trusted partners.”
Walsh also advises looking for specific keywords and phrases such as “no third-party sharing,” “end-to-end encryption,” and “data anonymization.” The latter two are indicators that the company has processes in place to protect its users’ privacy by either encrypting your data so it cannot be read by anyone other than the person you’re sending it to, or by erasing identifying information that connects you to the data.
Rosseini also says the length of time the company stores your data is important. When I downloaded the app from the sex toy company, Lelo, I clicked on several of the sex advice articles offered inside the app. Everything I clicked on was subsequently stored in the app’s history, and I was not given the option to clear that history. Everything I ever clicked on has been listed there since I downloaded the app in August of 2024.
When pressed on its data storage policies, Lelo replied vaguely, saying “We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected. The specific retention period depends on the type of data and the context in which it was collected.” The company also noted that deleting the app does not delete your data from its servers, and that if you want your data deleted from its servers, you’ll need to contact Lelo using the phone number listed in its privacy policy.
Some apps will outline this in their privacy policy, though. Before letting you into the app, the Satisfyer Connect app tell you it deletes its logs every 60 days.
If you’re looking to delete your data and make sure it’s completely gone, don’t just delete the app. Also delete your user account, as well as any data stored on the company’s servers.
At the end of the day, clear policies outlining intentions are critical as they enable users to make educated decisions about their app usage. Doing your homework on the app and the company’s data policies are just as important as doing your homework on the toy itself. It’s the only way to know if your vibrator is indeed spying on you.
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