The world of IoT is rife with stories of devices being exploited to provide people with access to all sorts of things. Which is why I’m somewhat cautious about the newly announced Amazon Echo Spot. While it looks like a clock radio, it also has a tiny camera. And that, frankly, is cause for concern.
When George Orwell wrote 1984, he imagined a world dominated by a totalitarian party that surveilled its citizens through a network of cameras that captured the every move of its citizens. Of course, the cameras were placed by the regime that was governed by the all powerful Big Brother, who our protagonist Winston Smith looked up to with live by the time the story ended.
But, instead, we live in a world where we are doing Big Brother’s dirty work. Many of us voluntarily share personal information, our location, relationships, photos and more. And, although we might not give it a second thought, we do have an opportunity to not press the “Send” button.
But a camera… that’s a whole different ball game I think.
So, here’s something to ponder over the weekend. How do you feel about installing a camera in your bedroom? Do you trust Amazon? What about the Amazon of next year or beyond? Will you be buying an Echo Spot?
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