Study Reveals Some Computer Repair Shops Snoop Around While They Work, and Why My Customers Will Never Have To Worry About That

When you drop off your phone or laptop for repair, how confident are you that your private data is safe from prying eyes?

To be absolutely clear: With my home-based service, when I'm working on YOUR computer, I take that responsibility VERY seriously, and ONLY focus on the work you have agreed to. I have zero interest in anything else on YOUR computer. That is my promise to you.

Trust matters, and it is the foundation of my business.

An investigation by CBC’s Marketplace in 2023 uncovered a disturbing trend: technicians snooped on personal photos and sensitive information that had nothing to do with the repair in more than half of the cases they studied.

Marketplace tested 20 repair stores across Ontario, including big names like Best Buy, Mobile Klinik, and smaller shops. They found that in nine out of 16 cases where technicians actually worked on the devices, private data was accessed—sometimes in shockingly invasive ways.

As Hassan Khan, an associate professor at the University of Guelph who partnered with *Marketplace*, said, “These results are frightening. It’s as bad as it gets.”

Key Points

1. Privacy Violations in Device Repairs: A *Marketplace* investigation found that in more than half of the tech repair stores tested, technicians snooped on private data, including intimate photos and personal information.

2. Extent of the Breach: Technicians at big chains like Best Buy and Mobile Klinik, along with smaller shops, accessed private files irrelevant to the repairs, with one even copying photos onto a USB drive.

3. Company Responses: After being exposed, companies like Mobile Klinik and Canada Computers fired or disciplined offending technicians and promised to reinforce privacy policies, but trust remains an issue.

4. Call for Stronger Regulations: Experts like Hassan Khan and Ann Cavoukian call for audits, fines, and stricter enforcement of privacy laws in the tech repair industry to protect consumer data.

5. Consumer Protection Tips: To safeguard your data, it’s advised to back up and erase personal information before repairs, use encryption, ask about shop privacy policies, and monitor devices post-repair.

The Experiment: Exposing the Snoopers

Collaborating with computer science experts, *Marketplace* set up a controlled experiment. They loaded smartphones and laptops with fake but realistic personal data—everything from intimate photos to financial information. Then, they dropped the devices off for repairs, from simple Wi-Fi issues to more complicated software problems, all while using tracking software to log the technicians’ activity.

The results were unsettling. Technicians at multiple stores, including national chains, accessed photos, social media accounts, and other private information. One technician even copied photos onto a USB drive.

“On what planet is this permissible?” asked former Ontario privacy commissioner Ann Cavoukian.

Crossing the Line: What Some Techs Did

A technician accessed Facebook accounts at a Mobile Klinik store in Woodbridge and scrolled through photos, including intimate selfies. At a Best Buy in Markham, a technician browsed through folders labeled "Bikinis," "Date Fits," and "Nightwear" and then cleared the recently accessed files to cover their tracks.

Even more shocking, a technician at a Canada Computers location copied an entire folder of personal photos onto their USB drive after repairing a laptop.

“These technicians had absolutely no right to this information,” Cavoukian stressed.

What Repair Companies Are Saying

Following the investigation, companies like Mobile Klinik and Canada Computers issued statements. Mobile Klinik called the behavior "unacceptable" and said the offending technician had been fired. Canada Computers said the incident was isolated and claimed that the technician responsible had been disciplined. However, the trust was already broken for many.

While these companies say they are taking steps to reinforce data privacy training, How many other instances go unnoticed?

The Privacy Problem: A Call for Change

Under federal privacy law, businesses, including tech repair shops, must limit the collection and use of personal information to what’s necessary for the service. But as Khan pointed out, "Going through those files to look for a fix does not make sense."

So, what can be done? Khan suggests implementing routine audits and even fines for tech companies that fail to protect user privacy. Cavoukian echoed this, calling for more vigorous enforcement of privacy laws in the tech repair industry.

“In this day and age, privacy can’t be an afterthought,” Cavoukian emphasized. Tech repair companies need to step up and ensure that our private data remains just that—private.