People, Get a Clue!

Yes, folks, we really need to wake up to what's going on.  There was talk years ago about the government spying on us through our (connected) home devices.  Well - now that despicable Clapper has admitted they might do EXACTLY that. 

First, check out this report from The Guardian.  Then carefully go through the excellent Trevor Timm column about it.  Oh, nothing to worry about, you say?  Guess what?  Timm notes:  "Police have already been asking Google-owned company Dropcam for footage from cameras inside people’s homes meant to keep an eye on their kids. Fitbit data has already been used in court against defendants multiple times."

 My own take is that I fail to understand WHY so many are so eager to buy the latest, even more intrusive gadget.  Do people really enjoy being tracked?  Do they not fail to see the dangers that can be posed by hackers, let alone government abuses?  It is stories such as this which are making me, usually an optimist, more cynical all the time.

In his conclusion, Timm says that this "internet of things" is certain to become more prevalent.  That's a scary thought.  He calls for end to end encryption for such devices and more and stricter privacy  rules.  Those are certainly good ideas,though I wish folks would stop buying into the "internet of things" and stop the trend of all this stuff being connected.