Report: High levels of toxic chemicals found in Apple, Google, Samsung, and more smartwatch bands
  • umami_wasabi@lemmy.mlEnglish
    29·
    2 months ago

    How about typical watch bands? Without comparison, I highly doubt this is only happening on smartwatch bands.

  • Benjaben@lemmy.worldEnglish
    9·
    2 months ago

    Problems pointed out by commenters aside, I am under the impression that there is very little oversight about this kind of stuff anymore.

    For one thing - unless they’ve changed recently, Amazon “bins” alike products from multiple suppliers, meaning if a bad actor is introducing counterfeits (or just less stringently tested, for more fungible products) - Amazon doesn’t even know who they got them from, by the time that’s discovered.

    But for another thing, the absolutely incredible volume of products - how on earth is anyone making sure these random-character-generated “brands” are safe?

    I lack much in the way of direct evidence, cuz I’ve got shit to do and this isn’t my life’s focus - but it seems apparent that there cannot possibly be the kind of consumer safety testing that we want going on. And if that’s true, it’s only a matter of time before the smart capitalists realize no one is watching and they can make stuff even cheaper (I think they already have), and then how long before we as a society discover all the harm that’s done as a result?

    I’d love to be wrong about this, but like so many tech innovations, I have a feeling we’re going to find out later there were huge harms done before we learned how to rein them in. The speed, volume, and price we’ve grown used to with Amazon seems to preclude consumer safety.

  • Passerby6497@lemmy.worldEnglish
    71·
    2 months ago

    I’m not surprised at all. My wife and I only use 3rd party metal bands because the factory bands gave us both chemical burns.

  • BigPotato@lemmy.worldEnglish
    2·
    2 months ago

    About a decade ago I had a Fitbit and wearing it caused my wrist to break out in a rash. I sent a picture of said wrist to Customer Support and they gave me a full refund on it.

    Now, I’ve not had a watch cause me to break out like that since and I’ve also never owned any of the other brands on this list… Now you got me wondering.

    • NegativeInf@lemmy.worldEnglish
      19·
      2 months ago

      “This chemical can be absorbed through your skin, and it’s even worse if you’re sweating while wearing the band because it can get into your pores”