A popular children’s smartwatch is being recalled after the European Commission raised concerns over the device’s security.

The Enox Safe-Kid-One device poses a “serious risk” to children, the Commission claims, as it enables would-be predators to contact and locate children through security vulnerabilities.

Data sent to and from the device can be easily taken and changed as it is unencrypted, according to the Commission.

The recall of the Enox device is believed to be among the first issued by the institution for failing to adhere to data protection regulations.

In a statement, the EC said: “A malicious user can send commands to any watch, making it call another number of his choosing, can communicate with the child wearing the device or locate the child through GPS.”

Public authorities across the European Union will now be required to recall the product to protect consumers. Enox’s device includes GPS capabilities, along with a microphone and speaker, which allows parents to monitor the location of their children and contact them through an app. Previous tests by security researchers on similar smartwatches have revealed some startling issues in regards to data protection. In November 2018, security researchers at Pen Test Partners found that device data from the Misafes ‘Kids Watcher’ smartwatch was unencrypted and unsecured in each child’s account. Related: Child-Friendly Smartwatch Security Putting Kids at Risk In the year previous, Germany banned smartwatches for children on the grounds that they were “spying devices” and could be abused. Speaking to the BBC, Enox founder Aloe Anton Bieltvedt said that the watch passed tests conducted by German authorities in 2018. These tests confirmed the device was safe for distribution, he asserted. Bieltvedt also said the device version tested by the EC was no longer available to consumers. The firm will lodge an appeal with Iceland’s consumer protection regulator, which originally lodged a complaint with the Commission.

The company’s Iceland-based distributor has “appealed to the authorities in charge with the demand that this test conclusion would be reversed,” Bieltvedt added.

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