IoT, Privacy, and Security: Innovation Vs. Regulation
“If we had computers that knew everything there was to know about things—using data they gathered without any help from us—we would be able to track and count everything, and greatly reduce waste, loss and cost,” remarked Kevin Ashton in the RFID journal back in 1999 and this notion couldn’t have been more relevant in today’s world. Internet of Things (IoT) has emerged as a powerful tool that compliments the statement that Ashton made long back. From ovens to medical devices, from watches to jet engines, all devices are connected to the internet through IoT. According to a report published by Cisco, there were about 25 billion devices connected to the internet in 2015 and is expected to grow up to 50 billion by 2020. More and more businesses are switching to IoT devices to maximize their business efficiency.
While we celebrate the progress that we have made by embracing IoT, it creates a dystopia in the hindsight where each every individual’s personal data is monitored every moment making privacy a distant dream, and exposing users to constant threats. All IoT device demands constant monitoring –either a user’s GPS location or the amount of electricity or fuel used or image feed from a security camera. All these monitoring activities collectively generate Zettabytes of data, which may turn out to be treasure trove for cybercriminals. Beyond doubt, IoT is proliferating vicariously and its importance too cannot be denied; however it is imperative that we keep an open eye and don’t ignore privacy and security concern. Read more…