Fitbit declared in 2022 that it was recalling its Ionic smartwatches because of a potential burn hazard.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has now agreed to pay a $12.25 million civil penalty to the Google-owned corporation for failing to disclose the hazard.
Fitbit was accused by the CPSC of failing to promptly disclose a flaw in the Ionic smartwatches that might cause consumers to suffer severe injuries or even die, even though the firm was legally obligated to do so.
According to the CPSC, Fitbit received multiple complaints between 2018 and 2020 about their Ionic smartwatches overheating while being worn, resulting in second- and third-degree burns on certain users’ arms or wrists.
According to the CPSC, Fitbit released a firmware upgrade in 2020 to address the problem, but the company still received complaints about the device burning users and overheating.
Fitbit failed to promptly notify the Commission, as required by law, despite having evidence that clearly implied wearing the smartwatches could cause harm to customers, according to the CPSC.
At least 115 incidents of the smartwatch battery overheating were received by Fitbit in the United States, according to the 2022 recall. Of them, 78 reported burn injuries, two reported third-degree burns, and four reported second-degree burns.
According to a press release, Fitbit is required by the settlement agreement to uphold internal controls and processes that are intended to guarantee compliance, including improvements made to its compliance program.Additionally, Fitbit has committed to submitting an annual report detailing the efficacy of its compliance rules and processes.
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