Josh Olin – The current trends in technology are causing many to indulge and turn their homes into “smart homes.” With so many devices now connecting to the internet via Wi-Fi, remote access is possible from anywhere so long as one has a valid internet connection and is equipped with a device to access it. However, creating a smart home is not necessarily the smartest thing to do in terms of using certain devices. Many of these devices record and collect data about the user, and because these devices are connected to the internet it is not impossible for a user to hack into such a device, thus rendering personal data vulnerable to abuse.
The fact that these devices “listen in” on users can create privacy nightmares. Recently, Apple, Inc. battled the FBI over a phone that supposedly contained evidence which could help law enforcement solve one of the worst terror events in recent history. The FBI was insistent that Apple break into the suspect’s phone and as Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, put it, the FBI wanted Apple to “hack [their] own users.” In a generation where smart devices are so prevalent, and consumer privacy is under attack, companies who manufacture smart devices should be more adept at creating devices that protect the consumers. Apple went on to win the battle against the FBI, and thus, the FBI ended up hacking into the device on their own volition. In essence, had Apple lost, not only would the one phone at issue be subjected to hacking, if Apple had created the custom software the FBI wanted, it would have given the FBI free reign to hack into any iPhone, which is the most popular phone on the market today.
Smart technology is rapidly becoming an issue in the privacy world and this battle of privacy vs. security is heating up, with companies taking the consumer’s side. Most recently, Amazon refused to hand over data recorded by one of its “Echo” smart devices. While the nature of the crime may be heinous, the decision by Amazon to stand tough and protect consumer data is bold. The home is one of the most sacred of sanctuaries for privacy. The most intimate of details are those in the home and if those details are to remain intimate, companies, such as both Apple and Amazon, must continue to fight to keep information that these smart homes collect private, no matter the cost.
