Sleep well! Can you do that in your smart bedroom?

In the digital age, numerous innovations have disrupted nearly every aspect of life, including our sleep. Our homes are our most private spaces, with the bedroom being especially personal. This week, Surfshark’s research hub delves into the privacy policies of sleep apps and apps for smart bedroom devices, ranging from smart pillows to window shades and blinds. Although these devices offer convenience, they may lead to concerns about compromising user privacy.

Key insights

• 25 analyzed apps for smart bedroom devices collect 6 unique data points on average. When looking into different types of these devices, each has its own leader that collects twice as many, or even more data points. For example, the Eight Sleep app for the bed/mattress device collects 13 unique data points. Meanwhile, the LG ThinQ app for an air purifier device collects 15 unique data points and is the only one among the analyzed apps that track users. “Tracking” refers to linking data collected from your app about a particular end-user or device, such as a user ID, device ID, or profile, with Third-Party Data for targeted advertising or advertising measurement purposes or sharing data collected from your app about a particular end-user or device with a data broker.¹
• However, we found that 20% of the analyzed smart bedroom device apps might prioritize user privacy. They declare that they do not collect any data points. In the segment of smart pillows, this includes the SoundAsleep Pillow app; for beds or mattresses, the TEMPUR-Ergo™ Smart Control app; for air purifiers, the Winix Smart and Airdog X apps; and for window shades and blinds, the MySmartBlinds app. It is worth noting that the Purple Powerbase app has not provided Apple with details regarding its privacy practices and data handling.
• The sleep and comfort category that features devices like smart pillows and beds or mattresses is the only one among those analyzed where sensitive data may be collected. This data can include information such as racial or ethnic background, sexual orientation, pregnancy or childbirth details, disability status, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, political opinions, genetic information, or biometric data.¹ The apps associated with smart devices that collect such data are Sleep Number for beds or mattresses and ZEREMA for pillows. It's important to be mindful when selecting products from this category or adjusting app settings to ensure they align with your privacy preferences.
• Some apps for smart bedroom devices may also collect information from user content, such as emails or text messages (e.g., the Coway IoCare app for smart air purifiers), as well as photos or videos (e.g., the Graywind or Yoolax Home apps for smart window shades and blinds; the Coway IoCare or LG ThinQ apps for smart air purifiers). They may even know your precise location (e.g., the Eight Sleep app for smart beds or mattresses; the LG ThinQ app for smart air purifiers; the Graywind or Yoolax Home apps for smart window shades and blinds).
• In addition to smart bedroom devices, users may also have sleep apps on their smartphones, which can be valuable tools for enhancing sleep quality. However, these apps can further compromise user privacy. Over 70% of the best sleep apps² analyzed may not only collect data but also track users. On average, they collect around nine data points, with the Headspace: Sleep & Meditation app collecting 13 unique data points and the RISE: Sleep Tracker app collecting 12 unique data points, putting them among the most data-hungry. Sleep apps may even gather information such as browsing, search, and purchase history.

Methodology and sources

This study is a part of the larger “Smart Home Privacy Checker” study, in which Surfshark’s Research Hub analyzed a total of 290 apps connecting to over 400 IoT (Internet of Things) smart home devices. The selected dataset contains information on smart devices that are crucial for ensuring good sleep quality. These devices include beds and mattresses, pillows, window shades and blinds, and air purifiers. They are organized into three distinct categories: Sleep and comfort, Home automation, and Climate control. Additionally, the analysis included seven sleep apps that do not require additional devices, such as headbands or other accessories.

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