" Smart " Technology - how do you feel about it ?

[gata montes]

Much as I think that many of the advances we have in technology today are pretty awesome to say the least - as we are now nearing the time where we could all soon be living in an age where absolutely everything we do is controlled by " Smart " technology - I have to say - that as the majority of these devices can easily be hacked into as well as invade our privacy - I find the thought quite disturbing.

Especially when considering - that as many of these " Smart " appliances and devices are capable of monitoring our every move - they can relay everything about our lives to whoever wants to know - just like the " Smart Meters " - in fact since the introduction of compulsory " Smart Meters " which have been and are still now being installed in many homes around the world - under the guise of them helping to reduce energy bills - I'm now very wary of " Smart " devices.

Mainly because - these compulsory " Smart Meters " rather than being a means of reducing energy bills - are in actual fact sophisticated surveillance devices that once installed - monitor and collect detailed information not only regarding the energy consumption and the appliances used in that home - but also detailed information on the number of people in a home as well as their daily habits, personal activities and vacancy patterns.

So as there are now many homeowners who have found that not only have their energy bills doubled since the installation of these new meters but also that they can't heat or cool their homes adequately during peak power usage - due to the fact that energy companies are controlling the thermostats and even more alarmingly that a larger than average bill will have the police on your doorstop ready to bust you for growing marijuana - which has actually already happened to many people on more than one occasion.

How confident do you feel about adding more " Smart " devices to your home - as well as how do you feel about the prospect of living in a " Smart " world where everything is controlled by technology ?

 

[joshposh]

I have no problem with smart devices or the things they can do to make our lives easier. But I don have a problem when we a s a specie no longer talk to each other in person anymore. Human interaction is now on a click of a button and there is a connection that has been fabricated here. Seeing someone on camera live is different from holding them and telling them I love you. Sending emoticon kisses is not the same as a kiss on your child forehead when you put them to sleep. If you have no choice and your work requires you to be elsewhere then fine. But most people are just too lazy to get off the chair and make that connection a reality.

 

[Boomer]

I work for the devil, so I love smart devices.

 

[Gemma]

I'm pretty torn. I like the convenience but knowing that they're gathering all of that information bothers me. I love my teen having a 'smart' phone because I can track where she is and where she's been via the phone. The thing is practically super glued to her and I know she wouldn't leave it somewhere so I always know. On the other hand, the idea of someone monitoring me that way makes it very tempting sometimes to leave the phone behind.

We don't have smart appliances. I won't buy them for many of the reasons you describe. Right now, we're not in a smart meter area but I'm not entirely sure that I would stay in one. I might move or be tempted to do things to intentionally confuse the device - like cause false alarms due to spikes in usage and then calmly let the police waste time/effort/money searching for something that's not there.

 

[MainerMikeBrown]

Their is so much about smart technology that I don't know about because I know so little about it.

Maybe I'm depriving myself by being in the dark. Maybe.