Fitbit has settled with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) over a long-running defeat that left some wearers sick. The settlement finds the Google-owned fitness company paying a $12.25 million fine for problems with its Ionic smartwatch. The issue began in 2018, and continues into 2020. Fitbit agreed to recall the wearable in March 2022, as the CPSC noted that it “creates an unreasonable risk of serious injury or death to consumers.” A firmware update issued in early 2020 failed to fix the problem, according to the CPSC. “Despite having sufficient information to support the conclusion that the smartwatch had a defect that could cause substantial product hazards or create an unreasonable risk of serious injury, Fitbit did not immediately report it to the Commission as required,” the organization notes. In total, 115 US consumers reported problems with the smartwatch’s battery overheating. Seventy-eight people reported burns, two with third-degree burns and four with second-degree burns. The agreement also requires Fitbit to submit an annual report to the commission, with an internal audit of safety operations. Fitbit is also required to “maintain internal controls and procedures designed to ensure compliance with the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA), including improvements made to its compliance program,” according to the agreement.
