News Summary

• Wuyou Sui, a researcher at Western University in London, Canada, explains some of the ethical considerations of using digital wearable technology in research.
• The biggest two are data privacy (what data are used by the AI-based algorithms in these devices) and data security.
• Risks include the sale, sharing and theft of sensitive metrics that reveal the daily habits and physical status of a person to advertisers, insurers and companies that sell personal information.
• Sui spoke to Nature about how researchers can navigate the complex, shifting landscape of consumer wearables in scientific research.