Roomba maps of users’ floor plans may be sold by iRobot to Apple, Google, or Amazon in order to connect with other smart technologies like appliances or to target ads to consumers.
The automatic vacuums began mapping homes two years ago in order to clean them better, but now iRobot CEO Colin Angle wants to use that data, possibly to inform speaker-type assistants like Amazon’s Alexa about how to best go about automating other home appliances or to generate ads, USA Today reported.
Angle told Reuters iRobot would not sell any user data without permission, but the privacy policy language is vague at best, Gizmodo reported.
Furthermore, any users that allowed Roomba to access their Clean Map reports has already given permission to iRobot to share their data with third parties, including selling it, Lifehacker reported. And it wasn’t clear whether there was any way to rescind the permission once it was given.
Users can opt out of using the app where data is collected and can decline to share their information with iRobot, which would prevent the company from selling it, but Angle said he was fairly sure most consumers would be willing to trade convenience for privacy, Gizmodo reported.
The Twitterverse was understandably disturbed by the report.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.