The convenience of app-controlled sex toys comes with a hidden cost: your data. As the global sex toy market surges toward an $80 billion valuation by 2030, more devices rely on companion apps, raising serious questions about user privacy. These apps aren’t just enhancing pleasure—they’re potentially collecting deeply personal data, and the implications are far-reaching.
The Data Collection Problem
Digital privacy experts warn that app-connected sex toys can gather extremely sensitive information. This includes detailed sexual behavior patterns, usage frequency, intensity preferences, partner connections, precise location data, and even your IP address. If you use a toy with partner play features, the app could be tracking data from both users.
Companies often justify this data collection as necessary for product improvement—for example, analyzing which settings users prefer to optimize future designs. However, the reality is that this data can also be monetized.
“Brokers can sell this data to anyone who pays for it: governments, investigators, advertisers… anyone who wants it.” – Chris Hauk, Pixel Privacy
Data brokers can combine this information with other sources, creating highly targeted advertising profiles or selling it to parties with less benign intentions. Some companies even openly admit to using data to tailor marketing efforts specifically to you.
Legal Loopholes and Regional Differences
Whether you can opt out of data sales varies significantly by location. California’s Consumer Privacy Act, for example, requires businesses to disclose data sales and allow consumers to opt out. But in many other regions, this protection doesn’t exist.
What You Need to Know About App Permissions
Many apps request unnecessary permissions upon download, such as access to Siri or your microphone. While Apple has safeguards, some apps still enable these permissions by default through features like “Learn from this app.” Even if you disable permissions later, the company may still collect behavioral data based on how you interact with the app.
- Wi-Fi Vulnerabilities: Early connected toys, like Svakom’s Siime Eye with its default “88888888” Wi-Fi password, demonstrated how easily these devices could be hacked and remotely viewed.
- Privacy Policies: Read them carefully. Look for vague phrasing like “we may share your data with trusted partners.” Instead, prioritize policies that explicitly mention “no third-party sharing,” “end-to-end encryption,” or “data anonymization.”
How to Protect Your Privacy
- Research Before You Buy: Treat app reviews like product reviews. Check app stores, YouTube, and Reddit forums for honest assessments of data usage practices.
- Disable Unnecessary Permissions: Revoke access to your camera, microphone, contacts, and location in your phone’s settings.
- Delete Accounts and Clear Data: Simply deleting the app isn’t enough. Manually delete your user account and request data removal from the company’s servers. Some companies, like Satisfyer Connect, explicitly state how long they retain data and offer options to delete logs. Others, like Lelo, require a direct phone call to ensure full data removal.
The growing prevalence of connected sex toys means that privacy is no longer optional; it’s a necessity. Consumers must be proactive in understanding how their data is collected, stored, and potentially shared. Failure to do so could expose deeply personal information to unintended audiences.
