Internet of Things is shaping and controlling our behaviors

“Internet of Things is how we describe the digitally connected universe of everyday physical devices. These devices are embedded with internet connectivity, sensors and other hardware that allow communication and control via the web” (Builtin, 2019). Internet of Thing (IoT) is increasing and connecting to more devices day by day, according to Helsinki, Internet of thing will jump from 9 devices per household to 500 by 2022 (Helsinki, 2018). This growth has a lot of benefits when it’s change people behaviors which believe to be more effective, smarter, safer and time consuming.

While a lot of people believe those benefits being very helpful in their daily life which they spending more money on it to make their life easier, it also come with the risks of it. This post will discuss the opposite side where consumer is losing privacy information through Internet of Things.

Internet privacy is always a big issue for years, with an increasing day by day in online life, it’s create more concern in consumer when having too many Internet of things. Research found that nearly 79% of adult’s internet users have concern of going online (OFCOM, 2018). Those 79% consumer concern because they already experience online harm which include spam email, advertises, malicious software, communication, virus, fake news and theft, fraud.

IoT applications is spreading through smart car, wearable, smart appliances, smart building, smart home, smart TV, smart farming, smart health, smart city. Through those application, consumer nowadays got bombarded by those recommendation or ads, app on many categories included health, taxes, education, relationship etc. Those are the link for brands accessing vast amount of consumer data. More than 70% of U.S resident don’t even know or only know little where the data that they got collected goes to or even what the government does with those data, they having lack of understanding (Brooke Auxier, 2019).

Internet of Things is controlling and shaping people behavior.

Tracking, monitoring and trading are the parts that company process personal data and from that people loose privacy. Brands then use those information to watch people and use those data to control and shape consumer behaviors (Holmes, 2016). So people thought they are controlling technology and those IoT are the useful tools that helping them in life, but consumer are actually letting the Internet to control them.

Reference:

Brooke Auxier, L. R. (2019). Americans and Privacy. Retrieved 2020, from https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2019/11/15/americans-and-privacy-concerned-confused-and-feeling-lack-of-control-over-their-personal-information/

Builtin. (2019). IOT. Retrieved 2020, from https://builtin.com/internet-things

Helsinki. (2018). Best protection in the world. Retrieved from https://www.f-secure.com/en/home

Holmes, R. (2016, Nov). We let technology into our lives. And now it’s starting to control us. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/nov/28/technology-our-lives-control-us-internet-giants-data

OFCOM. (2018). Eight in ten internet users have concerns about going online. Retrieved from https://www.ofcom.org.uk/about-ofcom/latest/features-and-news/eight-in-ten-have-online-concerns