Tech companies try their hardest to further integrate technology into our lives. Not only do companies have access to a device we carry around everywhere—our phones—the current push for an “internet of things,” the interconnection via the internet of computing devices in everyday objects, enabling them to send and receive data, may mean we hand over control of everything we use.

For example on Feb. 9, Apple released the HomePod, a Siri-powered smart speaker, similar to Amazon Echo and Google Home. These devices allow you to have futuristic conversations with a virtual assistant. You can ask it questions like “How tall is the Eiffel Tower?” or give it commands like “Play music.” If you own other “internet of things” products, you can even tell smart speakers to “Turn off the lights” or “Brew a cup of coffee.”

However, all of this convenience comes at a cost. These smart speakers listen for a specific keyword to activate: “Hey Siri” (Apple HomePod), “Alexa” (Amazon Echo) and “Hey Google” (Google Home). This means a smart speaker must constantly listen to everything that you say in order to hear the keyword.

However, it’s also important to realize just because you choose not to purchase one of these smart speakers does not mean someone or something isn’t monitoring you. For example, most phones function in similar ways to these smart speakers. Modern iPhones and Android Phones have keyword-triggered voice assistants just like smart speakers. This means they listen to you too. Plus, your phone gives tech companies access to even more of your data: they can see you using cameras, track your position using GPS and even get biometric data like your fingerprint, irises and face.

With all of this said, it’s important to consider what companies actually do with this information. Many tech companies assure users most of this data stores securely on your personal device only, without being sent to the cloud.

Regarding the iPhone’s “Hey Siri” feature in 2015, Apple told TechCrunch, “In no case is the device recording what the user says or sending that information to Apple before the feature is triggered.”

Even if devices transfer this data to a company’s servers, there’s (probably) no creepy guy behind a computer screen, tracking what you do. According to The Guardian, the data is actually sold to other companies, with the end goal of training algorithms to learn about you and attempt to sell you targeted products. Still, the mere fact that large companies have access to this much personal data is a major privacy concern.

I’m not saying we should completely abandon this technology. In fact, as a technology enthusiast myself, I wholeheartedly endorse these current innovations in the industry, even with the privacy concerns they bring up. However, I do believe students should take the time to understand what they opt into, and what they give when they use these products.

The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff. Reach Armaan Goel at [email protected].