THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION (FTC) has found that nearly 89% of smart home products surveyed failed to disclose on their websites how long the products will receive software updates. Without such updates, security flaws might not be fixed, devices might lose “smart” functionality, or they might just stop working altogether.
FTC staff looked for information about 184 different “smart” products, ranging from hearing aids to security cameras to door locks. Of these, 161 failed to provide information on their websites about the support duration or end date. Staff then conducted “basic internet searches” to see whether customers could find this information. Two thirds (124) of the devices failed this test.
Failure to inform prospective buyers of the duration of software update support might violate the federal Magnuson–Moss Warranty Act, and possibly also the FTC Act if there is an express or implied representation about how long the product is usable.