Introducing the ‘right to eavesdrop on your things’

[Commentary] There’s a pretty good argument that the Internet of Things is going to be a security and privacy disaster. It’s not just paranoia -- it’s more of a business reality. It is a software truism that anything connected to the Internet needs to be patched regularly, or else it becomes vulnerable to vandals.

To address the technical issues and make these systems more robust and secure, we have started the Secure Internet of Things Project, a collaboration among Stanford, the University of California at Berkeley and the University of Michigan. On the policy front, it's not yet clear what role Washington will be able to play in addressing the upcoming risks. But a good start would be for political leaders and the public to recognize the importance of communications transparency. I’d even suggest that policymakers consider a new consumer right: “the right to eavesdrop on what our Things are saying about us.” An Internet of Things where your fridge is telling mobsters about the medicine you just put inside, and you don’t even know about it, would make for a scary future. Let’s not head there.

[Keith Winstein is an assistant professor of computer science and, by courtesy, of law, and a Robert N. Noyce Family Faculty Scholar at Stanford University]