With virtually all of your internet traffic going through your router, it makes sense to be concerned about your privacy and security, especially since the FCC banned routers made in foreign countries because they pose serious risks. Ultimately, most router manufacturers collect data, including brands like Netgear. What device doesn’t collect data? Routers see an inordinate amount of it, from websites you visit to people you talk to. In most cases, you can review a company’s data privacy policy.
Netgear has both an official privacy policy and an analytics data policy, which outline its practices, but like most legal documentation, they can be difficult to read. The list is long, and this overview is not comprehensive, but it includes contact details, account information, customer records, demographics, internet activity – like ISP, speeds, error rates, app downloads – hardware usage, and other analytics.
Overall, Netgear doesn’t appear to track online activity, meaning what you’re actually doing when you browse. One exception regarding tracking is if you’re using a product feature that does monitor activity, like parental controls, which report what sites your family is visiting. Netgear claims it doesn’t share your data with third parties or sell it either. Most importantly, you can opt out of the data collection and analytics practices, and there are a few ways to do so.
How do you opt out of Netgear data collection?
In some U.S. states, the European Union, and the United Kingdom, opt-out policies carry strict consequences for companies that don’t comply. For that reason, some products available in the EU may offer easier ways to opt out. For example, EU and U.K. residents can opt out of Netgear’s analytics data collection program from routers directly. If you have a Nighthawk or Orbi model, during initial setup the router will simply ask if you want to enable data analytics, but if you’ve been using a router for some time, you can find the option under Settings > Data Collection.
That option may or may not be available to router users located elsewhere. Whenever available, the same methods can be used across select Nighthawk and Orbi router models. Login to the router administrative page and navigate to Advanced > Administration > Router Update and look for Router Analytics Data Collection and make sure its disabled.
Additionally, you can visit the Netgear Privacy Preferences page — Privacy Request Center — to adjust how data is handled. You can request access to available data, send personal information to someone such as a lawyer or advisor, request deletion, correct inaccuracies, and submit an opt-out request so your data won’t be used for marketing or advertising. A final option is to submit a formal opt-out request to analyticspolicy@netgear.com. Keep in mind that this will limit Netgear’s ability to warn you about security issues related to your devices and you may not be able to access “trial or paid subscription services.”
Are Netgear’s policies acceptable and safe?
While no amount of data collection can ever be completely secure or safe, Netgear products are relatively safe to use. But it doesn’t hurt to learn a little more about the company in question and its operations. Netgear is an American communications company, with no parent organization or single owner — if you look at who actually owns Netgear, it’s a publicly traded company. Some of its biggest shareholders include BlackRock, Brandes Investment Partners, and other <a href="https://bitcomme.com/is-chime-financial-chym-undervalued-as-it-expands-its-new-york-hub/” title=”Is Chime Financial (CHYM) Undervalued As It Expands Its New York Hub?”>financial firms. Its products are manufactured and assembled in Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Taiwan, not China, which is a likely reason why Netgear is getting an exemption from the FCC’s router ban; along with the fact that its routers are used for military operations.
Netgear’s data collection practices and policies do align with a majority of other router manufacturers, including Asus, D-Link, Eero, and TP-Link. Of the companies mentioned, Asus and Google (Nest) are the only other providers that have a straightforward opt-out process. Regardless of what brand you own, there’s a chance your Wi-Fi router might be spying on you, and your data, so it’s always a good idea to be wary and approach the practice with a degree of discernment. The line between what they actually can see and what they collect is thin.
