Smart technology is quickly becoming an everyday staple. These days you’ll have a hard time finding someone who doesn’t carry a smart phone in their pocket. But increasingly common has become the smart home. Now you can answer your door from your phone, use your TV to surf the web, set the lights with a tap of your screen, or get the food in your fridge extra cold with an app. Simply state your request and your preferred smart speaker will answer your questions, order your dinner or play your favorite songs.
It seems convenient, even fun, to have these tools at your fingertips. But, as they say, if it’s too good to be true, it often is. While not a common occurrence (yet), smart technology is ultimately hackable and can be controlled by outside entities, bringing invasion of privacy to levels previously unknown.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t have to be a criminal taking over your home.
Over 20,000 Coloradans found themselves helpless when they discovered they were locked out of their thermostats by their electric company during an August heatwave. The residents had signed up for a voluntary reward program through their electric provider, taking advantage of a $100 enrollment credit and receiving $25 yearly for agreeing to give up control of their thermostats during “emergencies.” This particular emergency was a power outage in Pueblo and increasing air conditioner usage during an especially hot period.
While in times past residents have been able to override the “emergency” message, this time there was no getting around it. During the hottest part of the day it was over 90 degrees outside. Many customers complained of indoor temperatures reaching somewhere between 78 and 88 degrees.
A representative for Xcel Energy, Emmett Romine, stated, “So, it helps everybody for people to participate in these programs. It is a bit uncomfortable for a short period of time, but it’s very, very helpful.”
Some customers have found this temporary loss of freedom to be an eye-opener. Knowing where and how to draw the technological lines is becoming more important than ever.
