FTC Chairwoman Ramirez: Connected devices will only succeed with trust

People around the globe won’t embrace new cars, refrigerators, thermostats or other “smart” devices that connect to the Internet if they don’t trust them, Federal Trade Commission Chairwoman Edith Ramirez warned.

The rise of connected devices known as the “Internet of Things” could revolutionize practically every sector in America, Chairwoman Ramirez said -- but not if people fear that detailed, sensitive data about their lives is being used to sell them ads or is not properly protected. Chairwoman Ramirez laid out a prescription for companies to respond to the possible lack of trust. First and foremost, companies should “put security front and center,” she said, noting that many developers are “underinvesting” in protecting people’s data. Additionally, companies should limit what kinds of information they collect about people, delete data once it is no longer useful and be sure that people know how their information is being used, with easy ways to adjust their settings.