German authorities have privacy concerns over Xbox One

Germany’s federal commissioner for data protection Peter Schaar has expressed concerns over the privacy implications of the Xbox One.

Polygon translates a German news report that Schaar has been looking into Microsoft’s console since its unveiling earlier this month.

More specifically, Schaar is investigating the hardware’s always-on capabilities and the new Kinect’s ability to listen and respond to commands even when powered down; as well as the latter’s other capabilities, like being able to see in the dark, recording a user’s heart rate and tracking muscle movement.

"The Xbox [One] registered all sorts of personal information about me," Schaar said. Reaction rates, my learning or emotional states.”

You are then processed on a remote server and possibly even to third parties. Whether it be deleted ever, the person concerned cannot influence.”

The Xbox One will require a Kinect to function, though the peripheral’s settings can apparently be adjusted. Microsoft has already responded to the announcement, saying that user privacy is a top priority.