What your smart devices know (and share) about you | Kashmir Hill and Surya Mattu

Summary

In a revealing exploration of smart home technology, Kashmir Hill shares her surprising experience living with 18 internet-connected devices, monitored by her colleague Surya Mattu. They discovered that these devices, including an Amazon Echo and a smart bed, constantly shared personal data with their manufacturers, leading to discomfort and privacy concerns. Hill highlights the paradox of convenience versus surveillance, stressing that even paid devices can exploit users’ data. Through humorous anecdotes and stark revelations, the discussion underscores the urgent need for companies to prioritize user privacy in the design of smart home products.

Takeaways

• 😀 Smart speakers are becoming ubiquitous, with one in six American adults owning one, despite privacy concerns.
• 😀 The author conducted an experiment by turning her home into a smart home, connecting various devices, including a smart bed.
• 😀 Continuous data transmission from smart devices was observed, revealing the extent of tracking by manufacturers.
• 😀 The Amazon Echo was particularly active, communicating with its servers every three minutes, regardless of use.
• 😀 Many devices tracked mundane activities, such as brushing teeth and watching TV, raising concerns about personal privacy.
• 😀 Users often underestimate the amount of data collected by smart devices, which can be sold to advertisers and data brokers.
• 😀 The convenience promised by smart devices can lead to frustration, as demonstrated by complications in using a smart coffee maker.
• 😀 Companies often prioritize data collection for market research over user privacy, as seen with internet-connected sex toys.
• 😀 Even when consumers pay for devices, they still become the product, indicating a need for better privacy considerations in design.
• 😀 There is a pressing need for companies to rethink device designs to respect user privacy, especially as more household items begin to spy on users.

Q & A

What prompted Kashmir Hill to experiment with a smart home?

Kashmir was surprised when her husband gifted her an Amazon Echo, considering their backgrounds in privacy and security.

How prevalent are smart speakers among American adults?

According to a survey by NPR and Edison Research, one in six American adults now owns a smart speaker.

What types of internet-connected devices did Kashmir install in her home?

Kashmir installed 18 internet-connected devices, including smart lights, locks, and even a smart bed.

What role did Surya play in the experiment?

Surya monitored the network activity of the smart home by building a router that logged all digital traffic.

What concerning trend did they observe regarding device communication?

They noted that there was not a single hour of digital silence in the house, indicating constant communication with external servers.

Which device was found to communicate most frequently with its servers?

The Amazon Echo was particularly chatty, contacting its servers every three minutes.

What frustrations did Kashmir experience with smart home technology?

She faced challenges like running out of electrical outlets, managing numerous apps, and the complexities of using smart devices, such as a smart coffee maker.

What was the issue with the smart coffee maker?

Kashmir struggled to remember the specific command needed to operate it, leading to daily frustrations with the device.

How did the experiment affect Kashmir's relationship with her husband?

Despite the frustrations, Kashmir reported that their marriage survived the experiment, albeit just barely.

What ethical concerns were raised about data collection from smart devices?

The discussion highlighted how even seemingly innocuous data, like brushing habits, is collected and used for market research, often without clear user consent.