Poll: Internet of Things

[Brickjectivity]

The "Internet of Things" is a tech term that refers to all the gizmos that connect to the internet excluding computers. It excludes computing devices such as your smart phone and is about other things like doorbells, lights, locks, cameras, appliances, etc. The term has been in use since before such gadgets were widespread. It was created probably as a buzz word in anticipation of such items, and it is usually referred to by its acronym: IOT.

This poll is attempting to get an indication of how people on RF feel about internet connected devices in their homes and how likely we are to buy and use them. Pick as many options as you like, because you can choose as many as apply to you.

 

[SalixIncendium]

I have 5 items that connect to the internet in my home.

• Laptop
• Tablet
• Home automation display
• Smartphone
• Smartwatch

None of the choices in the poll reflect my feelings about internet security. I’m mindful of what devices/apps have access to.

 

[Valjean]

My computer connects to the internet.
I haven't figured out how to connect my phone or TV.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

outside our phones, we have two laptops and two tablets, and my fitbit. The Dish Hopper and Hopper Junior are capable, but are not connected.

 

[JustGeorge]

I have my computer.

I only answered for myself, not family members.

 

[Heyo]

I don't have any IOT devices nor do I feel the need to have one.

 

[Ella S.]

As an offensive computer security practitioner (or a "white hat hacker"), I think they're great... when the target has them. It's an interesting new world where I can remotely hack into someone's toaster and condemn them to perpetually burnt toast. Or, more seriously, pivot from an office's smart thermostat to access other devices on their internal network, maybe even a server.

I would never use them in my own home unless absolutely necessary. Every piece of equipment carries with it some amount of security risk, so the easiest way to minimize risk is to simply not own more than you need. Nothing is ever 100% secure and their convenience does not justify the risk for me.

Do I really think that someone is going to try to hack into my home network? Maybe? I'm probably more at-risk than most people because I spend more time interacting with hackers and any of them could try to pull something out of pettiness, overconfidence, or as a distasteful joke.

It's more about practicing a proper security mindset for me than serious risk mitigation; I'm simply not a very interesting target. I'm relatively broke, use a debit card, don't have any subscription services, and I'm never undressed in front of a camera that connects to my network, so there isn't much for someone to gain from targeting me unless they just want a copy of my bookmarks or something.

 

[exchemist]

The "Internet of Things" is a tech term that refers to all the gizmos that connect to the internet excluding computers. It excludes computing devices such as your smart phone and is about other things like doorbells, lights, locks, cameras, appliances, etc. The term has been in use since before such gadgets were widespread. It was created probably as a buzz word in anticipation of such items, and it is usually referred to by its acronym: IOT.

This poll is attempting to get an indication of how people on RF feel about internet connected devices in their homes and how likely we are to buy and use them. Pick as many options as you like, because you can choose as many as apply to you.

My new central heating and hot water system is connected to the internet, as that came as a package with the new boiler, leaving me little choice. It can run manually without it, but I find it slightly useful to control it from the iPad occasionally.

Nothing else in the house apart from laptop, iPad and mobile phone is connected to the internet. I have no wish at all to change that. I don't see the advantage and in fact I positively do not wish to have domestic appliances bothering me in my life. I have heard that having security cameras connected to the internet damages people's mental health, by causing permanent anxiety about whether the house is secure. Why add to that by providing scope for you to worry pointlessly about your fridge - or your toilet roll holder?

 

[exchemist]

As an offensive computer security practitioner (or a "white hat hacker"), I think they're great... when the target has them. It's an interesting new world where I can remotely hack into someone's toaster and condemn them to perpetually burnt toast. Or, more seriously, pivot from an office's smart thermostat to access other devices on their internal network, maybe even a server.

I would never use them in my own home unless absolutely necessary. Every piece of equipment carries with it some amount of security risk, so the easiest way to minimize risk is to simply not own more than you need. Nothing is ever 100% secure and their convenience does not justify the risk for me.

Do I really think that someone is going to try to hack into my home network? Maybe? I'm probably more at-risk than most people because I spend more time interacting with hackers and any of them could try to pull something out of pettiness, overconfidence, or as a distasteful joke.

It's more about practicing a proper security mindset for me than serious risk mitigation; I'm simply not a very interesting target. I'm relatively broke, use a debit card, don't have any subscription services, and I'm never undressed in front of a camera that connects to my network, so there isn't much for someone to gain from targeting me unless they just want a copy of my bookmarks or something.

How fascinating. You are suddenly a rather interesting person.

But you make me think I'm doing the right thing to stay away from all these gizmos.

 

[ChristineM]

2 desktop computers
4 laptops
NAS drive
VOIP phone
2 televisions
2 electric heaters
1 central heating controller
1 network repeater

Also connected to the internet.
5 tablets
5 smartphones

Our router has a fairly robust firewall that drops all unexpected external connections so security is not really an issue

 

[Ella S.]

How fascinating. You are suddenly a rather interesting person.

But you make me think I'm doing the right thing to stay away from all these gizmos.

Would you like a copy of my bookmarks?

 

[anna.]

I've resisted IOT appliances, doorbells, anything of the sort. Not saying never, but I've dragged my feet, and if I do connect anything, I'll try to make it as secure as I can. Others in my family have lots of IOTs but they have apps all over the place tracking this and that thing, even down to sprinkler systems and it seems a bit overwhelming.

 

[exchemist]

Would you like a copy of my bookmarks?

You are making me blush.

 

[exchemist]

I've resisted IOT appliances, doorbells, anything of the sort. Not saying never, but I've dragged my feet, and if I do connect anything, I'll try to make it as secure as I can. Others in my family have lots of IOTs but they have apps all over the place tracking this and that thing, even down to sprinkler systems and it seems a bit overwhelming.

Quite. What beats me about all this is this: don't such people end up pointlessly hyperactive, "managing" dumb bits of domestic kit that aren't worth spending more than 2 minutes a day thinking about? We're all too busy as it is. Why fill your life with all this s...[tuff], on top?

 

[anna.]

Quite. What beats me about all this is this: don't such people end up pointlessly hyperactive, "managing" dumb bits of domestic kit that aren't worth spending more than 2 minutes a day thinking about? We're all too busy as it is. Why fill your life with all this s...[tuff], on top?

I agree... although there was the family member who was able to tell, via the app to his connected garage door, that he'd forgotten to close it when he left. So he remotely closed it, from miles away. How many of us have turned around at some point because we can't remember if we've closed the garage door? So it's tempting... and yet it hasn't been tempting enough. Yet.

 

[exchemist]

I agree... although there was the family member who was able to tell, via the app to his connected garage door, that he'd forgotten to close it when he left. So he remotely closed it, from miles away. How many of us have turned around at some point because we can't remember if we've closed the garage door? So it's tempting... and yet it hasn't been tempting enough. Yet.

Yeah, and then he spent the rest of the holiday obsessively checking to see if the garage door was shut, or if someone had broken in...yet.......

I went on holiday to France last month. As ever, the last hour of preparation, and the first 30 minutes or so in the car, I was worrying about whether I had remembered to close things, lock things, empty things, switch things off, leave things on, set things for our return, whether the plants would survive, etc. By the time we had got halfway to Portsmouth, I'd stopped. By the time we were on the ship, having a cup of tea and waiting for the main engines to start, all my cares to do with the house and my life at home in London were banished from my mind. It stayed that way until 20 mins before we arrived back at the house, 2 weeks later. That's why we go on holiday.

Imagine if I had everything sending me "data" on the house, every day of my holiday. I would never unwind. I think that would be suicide. We have to let things go.

 

[Orbit]

The "Internet of Things" is a tech term that refers to all the gizmos that connect to the internet excluding computers. It excludes computing devices such as your smart phone and is about other things like doorbells, lights, locks, cameras, appliances, etc. The term has been in use since before such gadgets were widespread. It was created probably as a buzz word in anticipation of such items, and it is usually referred to by its acronym: IOT.

This poll is attempting to get an indication of how people on RF feel about internet connected devices in their homes and how likely we are to buy and use them. Pick as many options as you like, because you can choose as many as apply to you.

I have consciously made all of my appliances as "dumb" as possible. No Smart TV, no ring doorbell, no Alexa.

 

[anna.]

I have consciously made all of my appliances as "dumb" as possible. No Smart TV, no ring doorbell, no Alexa.

Definitely no Alexa!

 

[anna.]

Yeah, and then he spent the rest of the holiday obsessively checking to see if the garage door was shut, or if someone had broken in...yet.......

I went on holiday to France last month. As ever, the last hour of preparation, and the first 30 minutes or so in the car, I was worrying about whether I had remembered to close things, lock things, empty things, switch things off, leave things on, set things for our return, whether the plants would survive, etc. By the time we had got halfway to Portsmouth, I'd stopped. By the time we were on the ship, having a cup of tea and waiting for the main engines to start, all my cares to do with the house and my life at home in London were banished from my mind. It stayed that way until 20 mins before we arrived back at the house, 2 weeks later. That's why we go on holiday.

Imagine if I had everything sending me "data" on the house, every day of my holiday. I would never unwind. I think that would be suicide. We have to let things go.

Which is exactly why I won't wear a Fitbit. I don't want to obsessively count my steps.

Also, so glad you enjoyed your holiday!

 

[sun rise]

I have a smart microwave that I've never enabled and a webcam that I'm not using. But our sprinkler system is run by an IoT which is on our guest network. If we count chromecast devices, then I have 3 IoT devices not counting my fitbit.