#DEFCON FTC STRESSES IOT CONCERNS

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has called for the better development of connected devices for consumer privacy in the context of IoT.

Speaking at Def Con in Las Vegas, Lorrie Cranor and attorney Terrell McSweeney said that the Internet of Things (IoT) connects in “new and exciting ways”, but as machines are getting smarter, the FTC is concerned about protecting consumers and privacy risks.

Cranor also identified artificial intelligence. She asked if consumers were aware of how they were interacting with a machine and virtual reality.  “It is a new area with a lot of progress and devices. But there is not much discussion of privacy issues and make sure we protect consumers as well”, she said.

McSweeney said that it was also interested in:

• new tools and techniques that consumers can use
• data sharing between smartphones and Smart TVs
• tools that analyze apps and types of data sharing
• algorithms to make decisions on people that discriminate other people
• tools that identify vulnerabilities in IoT devices

“What we are trying to do is we cannot solve all of the challenges that challenge consumers without partnerships,” she said.

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