Commentary
70% In US Concerned About Privacy In Internet Of Things
- by Chuck Martin , Staff Writer, April 7, 2016
While the Internet of Things grows,
privacy – or the lack of it – is what drives concern about its growth.
Privacy is at the top of a long list of IoT concerns in a new global study.
The study comprised a survey of 5,200 mobile media users in eight countries (Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, South Africa, UK and US) conducted by On Device Research for the Mobile Ecosystems Forum (MEF), a global trade body.
Globally, 62% of people are concerned about privacy relating to the Internet of Things, and even more (70%) in the U.S.
The majority (60%) of consumers are concerned by a world where everyday objects are connected to each other as well as to the Internet.
Here’s what concerns people about a world of connected devices:
- 62% -- Privacy
- 54% -- Security
- 27% -- Physical safety
- 24%-- Unable to repair
- 21% -- Machines taking over the earth
- 17% -- Not knowing how to use them
- 11% -- No tangible benefits
In terms of which connected objects would most concern consumers, home security leads the list, followed by connected cars and televisions.
While connecting security systems to public networks allows owners to monitor their homes remotely, it also opens the door to potential security breaches. Home invasion was found to be the biggest concern globally (30%) with people worrying that others could open the doors to their house (15%). More than third (36%) in the U.S. were concerned about potential home invasion via IoT technology.
And then there are the connected things themselves. Here are the objects that consumers would be most concerned about being connected to the Internet:
- 30% -- Home security
- 12% -- Car
- 10% -- TV
- 6% -- Iron
- 6% -- Heating syste,
- 6% -- Smoke detector
- 5% -- Oven
- 5% -- Lighting
It’s not really the actual connecting of the things that presents the biggest challenges of the Internet of Things. It’s more the results that occur from connecting all of the things.
Chuck Martin is Editor of the AI & IoT Daily at MediaPost and writes the daily Connected Thinking column. He is a NY Times Business bestselling author and his latest book is “Digital Transformation 3.0” (The New Business-to-Consumer Connections of The Internet of Things.) He is CEO of Net Future Institute and a frequent keynote speaker internationally. Follow him on Twitter @chuckmartin and contact him at Chuck@MediaPost.com.
Kinda Ironic that "Privacy" is the number ONE concern to a generation that broadcasts every move and meal they consume on facebook, and Announce where they are on vacation. Not to mention every grocery store is tracking all your purchases with the fake " Rewards" cards along with Kohl's, Target and Walmart, and you never have $10 worth of cash to pay for anything, so even a 5-hour energy drivk gets posted to a debit/credit card and you even hold up your phone for Starbucks to charge you for a $5 cup of coffee. Let's not forget that Amazon rememberes every thing you ever look at ,because their adds follow you around the net for weeks. And You're concerned about Privacy? That's a really funny joke , after handing over all your info to EVERYBODY. Wearable, useable, adorable, or whatever, you have vouluntarily given up your privacy.
Could not have been better stated, Mark.
Yes, it could have. I could use speel Chek moor.
For many things, we consumers do not have a choice to get on some of the tracking circuits. And yes, the selfishie generation has spread its viral as in virus, wings. They either don't know or don't want to admit that sending their kids pictures in private is not private (not to mention other - darknet- worse). It will all come back to bite us when we least expect it.
I agree, Paula, well said, although social media is very new and only now questions like privacy are starting to pop up, I suspect due to the now common hacking of large merchants' and the credit card information they store. It's a good discussion that is likely to increase as more connected home device continue to flood the market.
Concerns about privacy in the home translate to violence, theft, and crime. Physical acts, not cybercrime. I don't think people who are worried about home invasions are worried about how interactive or tecch savvy the 'invaders' may be or whether they have the latest apps. Yet.
Not sure about that, Paula, at least based on the data in the study. But many are concerned about easier access because of technology.
But your points were very clear.
Good point, Vanessa. Many consumers have yet to learn how much data on them is continually tracked. And these still are the early days of IoT.