SmartThings Privacy Notice
Last updated: January 7, 2020
At Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., we know how important privacy is to our customers. We are the data controller for SmartThings and have created this Privacy Notice to ensure that you understand how we collect and use your personal information.
Our Privacy Policy also applies to your use of SmartThings. Our Privacy Policy contains more information about how we use your data. It also includes information about how to contact us. Please read our Privacy Policy in addition to this Privacy Notice. However, this Privacy Notice will at all times prevail over the Privacy Policy.
WHAT INFORMATION DO WE COLLECT?
Through SmartThings, we collect and maintain information about you in various ways.
Information You Provide Directly
• Your Account Information: SmartThings will collect your account information, which is necessary to initiate and provide the SmartThings service to you. This will include information such as your name, Samsung account ID, email address, mailing address and phone number, username and password. Your account information will not only include the information that you enter in the SmartThings app to create a Samsung account, but also the account information in apps from third-party service partners which you allow to access SmartThings.
Information About Your Use of SmartThings
• App, Appliance, and Device Usage Information: we will collect your usage information created during your use of the SmartThings app, such as app logs, groups, rules, location names and other configuration information. As SmartThings may consist of several sets of home appliances, sensors, SmartThings hubs, smart bulbs, home monitoring cameras and other devices connected to SmartThings (“Home IoT Devices”), SmartThings will also collect usage information related to your Home IoT Devices, such as Home IoT Device model, name, group name or nickname, location name assigned to the device, the network connection information and the surrounding network environment information, mobile country code, mobile network operator, OS version, IP address and IMEI, sensor and configuration data, error and malfunction logs, device identifier (e.g., ICCID), and the device and automation name. The main purpose for processing such information is to provide the service that you have requested. For example, when you use a motion sensor, SmartThings will collect information detected by the sensor, such as logs of the motion of a person who lives in your home or the times that lights have been automatically turned on or off, in order to alert you if any unknown person trespasses in your home. SmartThings will also collect the usage/settings information of home appliances connected to SmartThings, if you turn on these features. For example, the temperature information inside your refrigerator, the time information which shows how long you have used the air conditioner, and other information about the functions that you have selected will be collected not only to display the device/appliance status through your mobile app but also to understand your use of Home IoT Devices so that we can continue to improve the SmartThings service. In addition to the previous personal data, we will collect your dump logs, which are files in which the technical errors of your devices are listed, but only in the event that you need specific technical assistance in the usage of the SmartThings app or Home IoT Devices. These dump logs will only be used to provide you with the technical assistance that you need and to improve the SmartThings app and Home IoT Devices.
• Video and Audio Clips Recorded by the Home Monitoring Camera: If you connect video or audio recording devices to SmartThings, SmartThings will collect the video or audio clips recorded by such a device, based on your choices in order to provide the service that you request in the SmartThings app.
• Voice Information: If you connect Bixby to SmartThings, information about your conversations with Bixby, including voice commands, will be collected to provide you with better feedback and to improve the quality of Bixby.
• Location Information: If you consent to the collection and use of location data, your geolocation data is collected to provide advanced automation features; for example, Sunrise/Sunset notifications as well as to automatically wake up your Home IoT devices when you arrive at home. If you wish to stop processing your location information, you can turn off “Use location information” in the SmartThings settings.
• Smart TV Information: If you connect a Samsung Smart TV to SmartThings, information about the Smart TV content you purchase, including voucher or gift card numbers, and information that lets you set reminders and calendar notifications on your Smart TV will be collected.
We will also collect information about your Smart TV and other devices which you add to and connect with the SmartThings app and the SmartThings Hub, and your use of these devices in ways that we will describe to you at the time of collection or otherwise with your separate consent.
We do not knowingly or intentionally collect any sensitive personal data from you. However, please note that we cannot guarantee that sensitive information is not unintentionally shared with us while using the SmartThings app and other Home IoT Devices. If you submit information to SmartThings that is sensitive in nature, it will also be collected and processed for the purposes listed below.
HOW DO WE USE YOUR INFORMATION?
• to enable you to control your Home IoT Devices in the SmartThings app;
• to provide services or features that you request in the SmartThings app;
• to respond to your requests and questions, and to communicate with you about SmartThings;
• to provide assistance when you request technical support for the SmartThings app or Home IoT Devices and other maintenance services;
• to provide you with remote maintenance service for errors related to Home IoT Devices connected to SmartThings if you contact a customer service centre;
• to link your account information or otherwise interact with selected apps, devices, features and services of third-party service partners;
• to operate, evaluate and improve our business (including developing new products and services; enhancing and improving our products, services and SmartThings; analyzing our products and services; aggregating and anonymizing data, and performing data analytics; and performing accounting, auditing and other internal functions);
• to provide customized recommendations related to Home IoT Devices and other useful services or features;
• if you turn on Customization Service in your Samsung account, to use data collected through the SmartThings app for the purposes herein. You can learn more about our Customization Service by going here;
• if you have a Samsung Smart TV, to (i) enable you to purchase Smart TV digital content, (ii) provide a history of purchased Smart TV digital content, (iii) let you set reminders for Smart TV digital content and (iv) enable you to receive calendar notifications on your Samsung Smart TV;
• to comply with laws and regulations; and
• to protect the rights, property and/or security of Samsung Electronics, or any of our affiliates, business partners and/or customers.
UPDATES TO THIS PRIVACY NOTICE
This Privacy Notice may be updated to inform you about changes in how we collect and process your information in SmartThings or changes in relevant laws and regulations. The date when the document was last updated is shown at the top of this Privacy Notice.