The Internet of Things

Download or read book The Internet of Things written by United States. Federal Trade Commission and published by . This book was released on 2015-05-01 with total page 71 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to the ability of everyday objects to connect to the Internet and to send and receive data. Experts estimate that in 2015 there will be 25 billion connected devices, and by 2020, 50 billion. This report summarizes a workshop hosted by the Fed. Trade Comm. (FTC) on Nov. 19, 2013, on IoT devices sold to or used by consumers and the issues of privacy and security. Participants noted that the IoT presents a variety of potential security risks that could be exploited to harm consumers by: (1) enabling unauthorized access and misuse of personal information; (2) facilitating attacks on other systems; and (3) creating risks to personal safety. Also, privacy risks may flow from the collection of personal information, habits, locations, and physical conditions over time. Such risks could undermine consumer confidence and may result in less widespread adoption. Participants also discussed Fair Information Practice Principles (FIPPs): security, data minimization, notice, and choice; and how use-based approaches could help protect consumer privacy. This is a print on demand report.