The Business Insider defines The Internet of Things as a network of internet connect objects able to collect and exchange data.
“The Internet of Things (IoT) has been called the next Industrial Revolution — it will change the way all businesses, governments, and consumers interact with the physical world”
“In total, we project there will be 34 billion devices connected to the Internet by 2020, up from 10 billion in 2015. IoT devices will account for 24 billion, while traditional computing devices (e.g. smartphones, tablets, smart watches, etc.) will comprise 10 billion”
The more data that marketers can access on consumers wants and needs the more effective their marketing efforts will be. But what type of problems or concerns does that create for citizens?
Within the past year there has been numerous cases of credit card breeches. Some of the cases include Wendy’s, The Hilton , and 12 Chicago area restaurant. If our credit card information isn’t safe, how safe is our personal information? The more data that we enter into smart devices, social media and enchanted objects the more information marketers can access. HP Security Research conducted a study in 2014 that revealed 70% of the most commonly used IoT devices had serious security flaws. Moreover, 90% of the devices using unencrypted network service and 70% vulnerable through weak passwords (Weisman, 2015). Although the goal is to make everyday life functions and activities more convenient there are serious security and privacy concerns that have yet to be addressed. There is a lack of balance between accessibility, safety and privacy. Is it possible to implement laws or create a system that will provide safety and privacy for consumers who use the IoT?
References:
Greenough, J. (2015, April 14). How the Internet of Things Market Will Grow. Business Insider. Retrieved from http://www.businessinsider.com/how-the-internet-of-things-market-will-grow-2014-10
Weisman, S. (2015, April 4). “Are you safe in the Internet of Things?” USA Today. Retrieved February 5, 2016, from http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/columnist/2015/04/04/weisman-internet-of-things-cyber-security/70742000/
Asia Lewis Blog-IMC 634 
Hi Asia!
I think it is definitely possible to implement laws and regulations surrounding the Internet of Things and I truly believe that we will begin to see this happening as the IoT gets more notice and recognition. I think that right now, the IoT isn’t at it’s peak in terms of visibility- there are some people that don’t even know what it is! As we get closer and more advanced in technology, I believe that the government will begin to step in to ensure that the privacy of consumers is protected as much as it possibly can be. I completely agree with you, that there is a lack of balance between several of the key components of the IoT, and that these should be addressed as quickly as possible.
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Asia, while businesses need to be doing a better job creating a safe infrastructure and network for IoT, consumers can be cautious with potentially unsecured products. In today’s digital environment, consumers need to be careful about how much information we put out there ourselves. While we can purchase products and share information to networks, we may not want to make this information completely open to the public. If we want to share some information, be cautious and only share it with those whom you know well. If your camera as built in wi-fi, don’t turn it on unless you are using it. Create hard passwords for all IoT devices to make it challenging for hackers. There are a few ways to protect ourselves in addition to companies providing more protection in their devices and data networks.
Read more: http://betanews.com/2016/02/04/why-the-internet-of-things-is-a-security-nightmare/
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Hello Asia,
Great post! I couldn’t agree with you more about the safety and security of the IoT. Last Wednesday, I received an email from my bank when a large sum of money was deducted from my bank account. Needless to say someone hacked my debit card and cleaned out my bank account. According to a June 2015 Politico article (http://www.politico.com/agenda/story/2015/06/internet-of-things-caucus-legislation-regulation-000086#ixzz3zcc4aXYL), “One of the few government documents (written) specifically to address the IoT was a report by a White House-chartered task force published (in November 2014). After examining the cybersecurity implications of new networked technology for national security and emergency preparedness, the group warned that the U.S. had until the end of the decade to really influence whether it becomes a success or a catastrophic failure. “If the country fails to do so, it will be coping with the consequences for generations,” the report by the President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee concluded… So far, we seem to be letting the window close. While the tech companies behind the IoT are working hard to make their case in Washington, the budding controversies and challenges the industry faces has barely shown up as a coherent problem on the government’s radar. That day may be coming. “If you think you’ve got a cybersecurity problem now, wait for the cold winter day when a hacker halfway around the world turns down the thermostat on 100,000 homes in Washington D.C.,” said Marc Rotenberg, the head of the Electronic Privacy Information Center.”
I hope our leadership gets ahead of IoT security or is, at least, wise enough to consult with the technology innovators leading the IoT revolution to create proper security protocols and policies.
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Hi, Asia.
My biggest concern of IoT is the potential ethical issues, particularly in cases information can be misapplied and used in a discriminatory factor. The current Equal Employment Opportunity Commission laws cannot keep up with current social media policies, which will seem rudimentary compared to the potential information-gathering resource the IoT can provide. For instance, what the chances of a banking professional finding out about an applicant wearing a pacemaker because the person has a medical condition associated with a shorter lifespan? If a loan officer received that information, can that person use that information to decline a loan?
I talked in my blog how IoT could be not only a predictor of consumer actions, but enacting consumer actions. Merging Big Data and the IoT could allow media companies to show display advertising based on relevant interests. In addition, there are concerns on whether lower-class socioeconomic families will have access to the information gathered by these devices. In this scenario, there could be more inefficiencies in lower socioeconomic classes. From a marketing perspective, the question of whether privacy will be an issue of being invasive to the point the information can deny basic benefits.
I see where the EEOC, Federal Trade Commission, the National Cybersecurity Center and other interested parties will develop protocols on who can access this information and define applicability. While there will be an increased concern on national security, the bigger push needs to be on personal information being used wrongly in everyday use.
http://picaspeak.com/2016/02/21/the-internet-of-things
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