Collecting consumer data

- [Instructor] The line between IOT data collection and privacy is beginning to blur. In this segment, we'll learn how, unless regulated, businesses can use IOT data to make decisions on issues that could impact your life or livelihood. The potential of massive surveillance comes with the overall awareness that our lives are being followed everywhere. Law enforcement commonly place cameras throughout cities that are capable of tracking our every move. Experts argue that surveillance is necessary in order to provide better planning, more efficiency energy use, and improved parking. However, in some cases, it's hard to separate what device is helpful and what may cause a risk to security and privacy. So, let's talk about how this could be possible. IoT devices range from fitness trackers, to cars and medical devices. Every day, the sensors on the devices collect what we do, where we drive, what we purchase, even activity in our homes. In some cases, the devices are programmed to respond to certain events. For example, when driving, if we're speeding or miss a stoplight, sensors can collect that information and then send it somewhere. In addition, the data on a device itself could be subject to admission in court. For example, could the courts call the data on your Fitbit into evidence? They might ask the question, "Was your heart beating faster because you were exercising, or were you doing something illegal?" The question is, who owns all the collected data? Does the data belong to you or to the manufacturer? Does any of the data transfer to somewhere else? In some cases, it does. For example, in many modern cars, data is continuously collected. This is because legislation in several countries requires mandatory installation of a black box tracking device in all vehicles, which can record all activity and can be of assistance in case of an accident. For example, if a collision is detected, the device sends the data to emergency services to allow quicker deployment of help. In most cases, no one can expose the data unless there is the owner's written consent. Now, that is the data on the black box, but what about the data that is in the cloud? The end goal of most IOT devices in many cases is to simply collect data. Can we and will we draw the line on gathering data and invasion of privacy? For example, imagine if you were denied healthcare insurance because you had too many sugary sweets, or denied auto insurance because your car reported that you exceeded the speed limit one too many times. The fact is the IOT collects a lot of data. By 2025, total data volume of connected IOT devices worldwide is forecast to reach 80 zettabytes, and that's a lot of data. A rough comparison is that one kilobyte is the size of a house cat, and a zettabyte is the size of America. So, who is collecting the data? Agencies such as the NSA in the US, and other organizations, gather and analyze IOT data as part of their mission. The question remains for many is, just because it passes through the internet, does anyone have a right and privilege to examine this information? The good news is that several organizations, including the US Federal Trade Commission, are concerned about what data companies can access and how they can use this information. The FTC has committed to enforcing the law against illegal use and sharing of highly sensitive data. Now, I'm here at this site where you can learn more about these efforts. Now let's test your knowledge. Discuss how, unless regulated, businesses can potentially use IOT data to make decisions on issues that could impact your life or livelihood. You can record your answer on the challenge worksheet.