Current Events #7 (MP2 #3)

     When the Internet was first developed it was used by computers to send and receive data over a network. With the progression of time, however, it became possible for more than computers to connect to the Internet. The term 'Internet of Things' was coined to describe everyday objects - such as cars, refrigerators, and coffeemakers - being interconnected by the Internet. This interconnectedness for the consumer could mean every time your phone or lock detects you're entering your house the lights will switch on but for businesses it could mean money saved by things, such as elevators, giving their own reports about their state and when they need maintenance, so a separate inspector is not needed.
     An early instance of this interconnectedness can be traced back to 1982 when students at

Amazon's smart assistant, Alexa

Carnegie-Melon University inserted sensors in a Coca Cola vending machine and connected it to an early version of the Internet. This allowed them to see if the machine was empty without having to travel to the machine. By the 90s many businesses use this technology to track goods and material but it isn't until many years later that this technology becomes available to the consumers. This is due to sensors that connect to the Internet dropping in price due to the rise of smart phones. Now that this technology is becoming widespread, through things such as Amazon Alexa or IBM Watson, there is concerns about security. Data queried, monitored, and/or transmitted can be sensitive - including things such as names, addresses, and credit card numbers - and can fall into the wrong hands if not secure. Former Vice President, Dick Cheney, disabled the wireless feature on his defibrillator since he feared terrorist hackers could use it to kill him. In 2015, the FTC brought charges against a security camera maker for leaving their web security cameras venerable to hacking.
   My personal reflections are that smart devices part of the Internet of things can be a double edge sword. The Internet of things can provide many convenience that consumers and businesses alike were asking for. As a consumer it is a great convenience to control many things from my phone. Being able to turn on the lights and telling my coffee maker to start making coffee at the same time without having to go to either is efficient and saves time and my energy. But for this convenience is it worth it to risk your security? The answer may differ from person to person but anyone should proceed with caution and take precautions. Burglars can use light and lock systems to determine if a house is empty and if it's the right time to conduct crime. Hackers could tap into something connected on a wifi network, such as a printer, and then tap into other devices on the same network, such as phones that could house intimate information. It is for these possibilities one may make sure they have good network security and are using safe devices before they turn their home into an interconnected ecosystem of devices. In the end, smart devices are a great advancement in technology and give those who use it an advantage but if you're not playing these safe it could cause a lot damage.
 

Works Cited:

Kharif, Olaf "Issue Overview: The Internet of things" 08 Sep 2016. Web 27 Oct 2018.

<https://newsela.com/read/overview-the-internet-of-things/id/20936/#>