Your washing machine is texting the manufacturer every week

Consumer Reports looked at what smart appliances quietly send home and found major brands transmitting anywhere from 3.4MB to 19MB of usage data to manufacturers on a weekly basis. That includes power status, how often the door is opened and closed, filter status, cycle and temperature details, and energy usage. Brands like LG and Samsung also collect identifying information including ZIP codes, phone numbers, and locations, which gets shared with subsidiaries, affiliates, and third-party business partners for direct marketing.