- The safest data is data you never collect: no images, no audio.
- Know where readings are stored and who can reach them.
- Encryption, secure devices and role-based access are table stakes.
- You should be able to export — and own — your data.
When a school, hospital or hotel considers a sensor for its toilets, the first question from governors, staff and parents is rarely about accuracy. It’s “what does it record?”. That is the right instinct. Here are the questions worth asking, and the answers you should expect.
1. Does it contain a camera or microphone?
This should be a flat no. VapeSense contains neither. It reads the air and nothing that can identify a person. That is what makes it appropriate for washrooms and changing rooms where cameras are prohibited.
2. Where is the data stored?
Many systems stream every reading to a vendor cloud. VapeSense runs on your own network: the sensors, dashboard and alert engine live on site, and there is no mandatory cloud account.
3. How is it reached from outside the building?
Remote access is optional. When enabled, it is secure and needs no port-forwarding, no static IP and no firewall changes.
4. Is traffic encrypted?
Everything should be encrypted end to end. With VapeSense it is, and each sensor is individually secured, so one device can’t see another’s data.
5. Who can see what?
Look for role-based access. VapeSense has three roles: Admins manage users and updates, IT staff manage sensors and configuration, and teachers or staff get a view-only dashboard and alerts.
6. Can a new device join without permission?
It shouldn’t. Only approved VapeSense sensors can join your system.
7. Can we get our data out?
Your data should be yours. VapeSense lets you export your alert history and reports at any time.
Detection without surveillance.
Privacy obligations vary by country and sector, so always involve your data protection lead. A detector that never captures personal data in the first place makes that conversation much shorter.
Read the full privacy and security breakdown. Privacy & security →
