The Internet of Things: What impact will the Smart Home have on your data?

It’s no secret. With every passing moment, our technology is improving and getting smarter. Billions of physical devices around the world are now connected to the internet and this is called the “Internet of Things” or “IoT”.There are already examples in our day-to-day lives where we are impacted by the IoT, for instance home monitoring systems, personal activity trackers and driving apps. In the year 2017 there were 8.4 billion devices in use and this will probably reach 20.4 billion by the year of 2020. There will be more devices connected to the IoT than people living on earth.

The IoT will also have a huge impact on the devices we use at home, giving way to the new era of “smart homes”.

What is a smart home exactly and how can it help us?

Having a smart home means that your home devices will be connected to the internet and you having the power to manage them all from one place. The only thing you have to learn is how to use the app on your smartphone or tablet.

In order to give you an idea of how smart homes can help us, you need to understand how all devices are changing. Everything is getting smarter. Your whole kitchen, your speakers, your TV, your AC and many more devices are now connected to the internet and each other.

How can you take advantage of it?

Let’s use an ordinary household appliance like a dishwasher as an example. You’ll now be able to switch it on remotely from your mobile phone. Everything can be controlled with one click, no matter where you are.

Another example, which is already very popular nowadays, is the Amazon Alexa. It’s a speaker that answers questions and lets you express your music wishes.

One more thing that I think is really pleasant is that you can control the light. We all know this situation when we are already in a super warm and comfy bed and then we notice “Oops, the light is still on”. Now we can easily switch off the light via an app without having to get out of bed.

However, the IoT is not only convenient. It also has many useful applications in the area of home security. With the smart home security systems, you can view your home from any location and the system owner can get notifications immediately when something is out of order.

These are just a few examples of how useful a smart home can be for us. There are of course many more.

Despite all the advantages that these smart devices bring with them, a certain question comes to mind.

“Should we trust these devices with our private data? And if we can, are there other ways that our secured information could leak?”

We can assume that our personal data will probably be collected and stored. Let’s take the intelligent voice assistants from Amazon or Google for instance. It knows where you are, what you’re buying and what kind of music you like to listen to. An example to illustrate this is the Amazon Alexa, which after a certain time of use, knows your music wishes by itself. You can then say “Hey Alexa, play my music” and it will know what to play.

It also knows when you’re at home, how your voice sounds compared to your roommate’s, for example — and when you’ve connected it to other smart devices.

The amount of data that intelligent devices collect is enormous, but what exactly they collect varies from device to device and usage conditions.

Even anonymous data, such as when you turn on your light and whether you do it with a switch or through a voice assistant, can be used with other available information to find out other personal information about you. The fear is not only that this information may fall into the wrong hands, but also that it will be sold or shared.

A survey of consumers in Australia, France, Canada, Japan, UK and the US showed that 63% find internet connected devices frightening. 75% have no confidence in this new technology.

Are there ways to protect your data?

• Smart homes always store personal information, as the network contains personal information such as usage times and user behaviour. This is confidential information that needs to be protected. Make sure that your service provider signs a privacy agreement.
• It would also be important to have a multifunctional and efficient security concept, without any gaps, for comprehensive security in your smart home. When you’re planning on getting smart devices, ask for help from a trustworthy dealer.
• A professional installation is the basic requirement for a solid network in the smart home. He/Her will be happy to give you advice and work with you to make your safe and comfortable Smart Home a reality.
• You should always use secure passwords for your computer, tablet, smartphone, as well as for your smart home. Try to always use long, unique and complex passwords.
• It’s important to protect your network with a firewall, so that no one else can read your data. With this type of network, connections to the smart home are protected from outside by a virtual tunnel that prevents third parties from viewing or accessing your confidential data.
• Be sure to update your devices regularly, as it is important to be up to date with the latest technology. The reason for this is because the security requirements can change at any time.

If you stick to these tips, you can use the advances in technology to your own advantage without hesitation. As you can see, the Internet of Things does have some helpful features.

However, our privacy should be important enough to us that we’ll educate ourselves, before installing smart devices.

What are your thoughts about a smart home? Do you think it is helpful or do you think it should be avoided? Let me know about it in the comment section below!