Lawsuit Accuses Bose Of Spying On Customers Via Popular Headphones

In yet another case of a company accused of misusing technology to spy on its customers, a lawsuit identifies the popular brand Bose of using its headphones to collect customer data. In terms of the details of the supposed spying activities, a lot of the elements are becoming disturbing familiar. For one thing, the products reportedly collect data without the consent or even awareness of the users, which Bose then purportedly sells to other companies.

To be more specific, the spying allegations actually have more to do with the app called Bose Connect, which can be a companion to many of the company’s wireless headphone products. According to the lawsuit that Illinois resident Kyle Zak filed against the company, Bose uses the app to mine a wide range of data from users, Fortune reports.

"Indeed, one’s personal audio selections – including music, radio broadcast, Podcast, and lecture choices – provide an incredible amount of insight into his or her personality, behavior, political views, and personal identity," the lawsuit reads.

The plaintiff is trying to make this a class action lawsuit by basically representing the numerous other customers of Bose who are supposedly victims of data mining. It would seem that the lawsuit itself would net Zak $5 million, though, specifics are still scarce at the moment.

As for Bose, the company has yet to provide a statement or reply to any questions with regards to the lawsuit. It should be noted that its headphones, with the QuietComfort 35 being a great example, have been well received by the music enthusiast community.

On the other hand, there are a few technical details that might actually make a real case out of what Zak is trying to pursue. Much of it has to do with the privacy policy of Bose, where it gets a little vague in some places, Business Insider notes. The matter of data collection isn’t addressed with specific and there are indications that the company might partner with third-party entities.