Your Appliances May Be Spying on You

 NEXT GOV.

The “Internet of Things,” the term for the growing universe of Internet-connected devices, can lead to significant improvements in our lives, the FTC wrote. But the connected devices could also undermine our security and privacy if companies aren’t careful, the agency warned.

The FTC report lays out guidelines that businesses should follow as they connect more devices to Internet.

“The only way for the Internet of Things to reach its full potential for innovation is with the trust of American consumers,” FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez said in a statement. “We believe that by adopting the best practices we’ve laid out, businesses will be better able to provide consumers the protections they want and allow the benefits of the Internet of Things to be fully realized.”

Many Internet of Things devices already exist. Millions of people have bought Fitbits and other health monitors. Google’s Nest adjusts a home’s temperature based on its owners’ habits, keeping them comfortable and saving electricity. The trend is expected to explode in the coming years.

Consumers already place huge amounts of information online, but the Internet of Things will give advertisers, data aggregators, and criminals access to even more sensitive details about their lives.

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