Issues

Security

With IoT, issues of security are compounded. The number of hackable objects is no longer limited to devices considered computers: phones, tablets, laptops, and personal computers. Toilets, fridges, sidewalks, trashcans, and all "everyday" objects are at risk of attack.

In addition, the compounded connectivity of these objects means that cyber attack issues have the potential to effect more objects at once because of their hyperconnectivity. For example, a thermostat is connected to the warehouse assembly line, which is connected to the manufacturer database, which has global distribution, etc.

It may not seem like a big deal if a thermostat gets hacked, but because of the number of smart objects and their ubiquitous connections, the issue is dire. One weak link in the chain of IoT can serve as an entry point for malicious individuals to cause disaster for all. The flaw in the system may be the cheaply made and ineffectively secured object connected to the important ones.

To make the issue even greater, many IoT objects can't be unplugged, turned off, or wiped to factory default settings like a computer device can. “Perhaps we could unplug our Internet-connected TVs if they get compromised in a cyber attack, but we can’t so easily turn off a smart utility power meter or a traffic control system or a person’s implanted pacemaker if they fall victim to malicious behavior,” (Rose et al., 2015, p. 21).

What can we do?

With the global nature of IoT, weak "entry points" for hackers, and the inability to disconnect or turn off many objects, the solution rests in collaborative preventative measures. Good design practices that balance cost-effectiveness with security needs and an infrastructure that allows for all manufacturers of smart objects to work together will be necessary. In addition, "The IoT should be decentralized and interoperable in order to avoid a single entity having total control over the framework. Furthermore, a decentralized structure also decreases the danger of a single point of failure," (Weber et al., 2010, p. 127).

Privacy

There are great issues when all objects, all connected, collect vast amounts of information all the time. Another complication is that most of this information will be collected when individuals are passively and unknowingly interacting with devices; think about Siri who is "listening" all of the time for the right audio cues, or Google apps which track your location at regular intervals. As well, public objects may be gathering data about individuals around them without the informed consent of those individuals.

Personal information, identification, surveillance, and tracking will all be easier than ever with IoT. “Seemingly benign combinations of IoT data streams also can jeopardize privacy,” (Rose et al., 2015, p. 26). For example, a blond-haired person is not specific enough to track, surveil, or extort; but a blond-haired, male, age 32, who frequently shops at Tim Hortons in Kamloops, is much more decipherable and indicative of an individual.

What can we do?

Individuals will need ultra-transparent privacy choices regarding what information they wish and do not wish to share, and with who or what it is shared. These choices will also have to be respected between object manufacturers, such as the objects in public spaces. This means that trust and responsibility should be of utmost importance to the makers of IoT objects.

Compatibility Standards

When all things are trying to connect, getting them all to speak the same computative language can be problematic. Think about sharing photos and messages between iPhone and Android: quality loss and the dreaded green messages. "So-called 'walled gardens', in which users are permitted to interoperate with only a curated subset of sites and services, can substantially diminish the social, political, and economic benefits of access to the entire Internet,” (Rose et al., 2015, p. 30). These exclusive designs act to disrupt access to the internet.

What can we do?

Appropriate and universal standards of best practice are required. IoT devices that use generic, open, and widely available building blocks to develop their communication will help to keep the internet fair and accessible.