Yes, smart homes are fabulous. They can save us money, time and frustration. But let's talk about the elephant in the room:privacy..
How much invasion of privacy is too much? Where do you draw the line? The debate resurfaced again in the summer of 2017 thanks to the news that Roomba devices are mapping homes. Roomba wants to start mapping your smart home Roomba wants to start mapping your smart home Your robot vacuum might be mapping your home. And the company that made your robot vacuum might be planning to sell its floor plans to the highest bidder. Read More
Join us to see what data is collected, how it is used, and if there is a benefit to the end user.
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I am not exaggerating. Think of any piece of information, and it's being recorded. What time do you usually get home from work? Your Garage Door Sensors 4 Ways a Smart Garage Door Opener Will Simplify Your Life 4 Ways a Smart Garage Door Opener Will Simplify Your Life Garages are great, garage doors are frustrating. Smart garage door openers can help. Read More How many times do you go to the bathroom at night? Your smart bed learned that two days after you bought it. Your preferred method of applying makeup? The smart mirror has you covered. Your favorite food? The fridge knows.
If these companies got together (and who says they don't?), they'd know you better than you know yourself.
The sheer amount of data collected is definitely creepy, but it's not without a purpose. Almost all devices need to learn about you and your habits in order to allow them to function at their best.
What good is a smart mirror if it can't give you advice on how you look? How useful is a smart bed if it can't use your sleep data to help you have a more restful night? A child tracker What are the best child tracking tools and apps? What are the best child tracking tools and apps? If you are a parent and want to know where your child is at all times, you should try one of these apps. Read More
Even at the extreme end of personally identifiable information, the argument holds true. Smart Medical Devices 8 Advances In Medical Technology You May Need One Day 8 Advances In Medical Technology You May Need One Day Believe it or not, the speed of technological advances continues to increase, and many advances are happening in the medical field. Check out these amazing new things! Read More is explicitly designed to track highly private data and send it to your doctor or nurse. Without the ability to do so, they are useless.
Ultimately, if you've decided to join the smart home revolution, there's a trade-off involved. It's one that most users are willing to accept.
This is the biggest complaint from smart home users and is the important flip side to all the perceived benefits of data logging.
In all the positive examples I've discussed, it's hard to argue against the benefits a user receives. If all the data never went beyond a select group of recipients, most people probably wouldn't have a problem. But that is not the case. The parent company also uses almost all the data that smart devices collect to make money.
Of course, the data is not necessarily personally identifiable, but that is not the point.
Let's take the example of Roomba. Depending on the model, you may have paid up to $900 for your device. Since the company has sold more than 17 million units and robot vacuum cleaners are a fast growing sector. Why you should clean your home with a robot vacuum Why you should clean your home with a robot vacuum The benefits of a smarter robot vacuum Home functionality makes Neato Botvac Connect an ideal choice for keeping your home clean without that you have to lift a finger. Read More
Clearly, $900 isn't cheap. But let's look at it from the point of view of companies. They could argue that the profits they make from your data are subsidizing the cost of the device in the first place.
Profits are built into their business models. Without data collection, the smart home devices we all love would be much more expensive or simply not exist.
To get back to my original question:where do we draw the line? If Roomba collected data about your usage habits and used it to improve its product line, many people might reluctantly accept it. But selling the floor plan of your house? It feels invasive.
Some readers might dismiss my protests about Roombas. Personal data is personal data; It doesn't matter what form it takes. Others may vigorously nod their heads in agreement with my argument.
But the Roomba is just one example. Some of the people who think a Roomba's data collection techniques are invasive probably don't have a problem with other devices.
What about Siri? If you regularly use Apple's personal assistant, you probably know everything from where you work to what you had for breakfast.
Amazon Alexa is another example. Although it only fires when it hears the keyword, when it hears it, it can collect all kinds of data. 5 Reasons To Avoid Smart Assistants If You Value Your Privacy 5 Reasons To Avoid Smart Assistants If You Value Your Privacy So, I've just bought a new smart assistant with speaker and it's proud to be sitting in the center of your coffee table. But what security risks and privacy issues are you exposing yourself to now? Read more . That includes people talking in the background, TV shows you're watching, music you're listening to, and more. It's certainly more revealing than a Roomba floor plan.
Of course, Siri and Alexa users aren't stupid. They know that the services collect and use personal data. But it is a trade they are willing to accept. If a Roomba or smart thermostat started recording your conversations or tracking you via GPS, there would be (justifiably) an outcry.
Using the examples of Roomba, Siri, and Alexa, we can get to the crux of the matter.
A company must be aware of its main purpose. Alexa and Siri are designed to be personal assistants, and a user therefore agrees that the services will collect data about their lives. Similarly, a Roomba is a cleaning robot; It is reasonable to expect it to collect data that will help it fulfill its purpose.
What is not reasonable is when the data collection only serves the company and has no benefit for the user.
For example, if Alexa were trying to figure out what TV shows you watch through background noise analysis, that would be a step too far. The data won't help you order your groceries or listen to the news headlines. It would only serve to help Amazon make money. Shopping vs. Privacy:What Does Amazon Know About You? Shopping vs. Privacy:What Does Amazon Know About You? Did you think that Amazon was too noble to violate your privacy? You would be surprised. Here's what the company knows about you, where that knowledge comes from, and how you can control it. Read More
Similarly, Roombas mapping your floor is understandable. They use the data to plan their route around your home and learn which parts of your rooms need the most attention. But selling the data to third parties crosses the line. There are no obvious benefits to you as a user of its actions.
It seems that more and more companies see your devices as a way to make money from you. Are they really interested in providing a service, or are they just loss leading devices that let the company into your home?
Ok, let's summarize my arguments. The very nature of smart home devices means they have to collect data about you. Without doing so, they are useless. But if you've paid a lot of money for a device, is it reasonable to expect the vendor to use it as a profit-generating tool? I would say the answer is definitely "no."
You May Disagree With Me You may think that companies have a right to make money from the services they provide.?
If you agree or disagree, I want to hear from you. You can leave all your opinions in the comments section below..
