Should your fridge have its own PHONE?
No. No way, of course. Still…
Objects like washing machines, frying pans, ovens, doorknobs, etc. have worked perfectly for decades, without any need for internet connectivity, that is without any possibility of being “cracked” like ordinary computers. Why should we give up such an important features?
Above all: why should such products have internet connectivity that is impossible to turn off? Why, that is, something that is yours should report to, or be exposed to attacks by strangers?
This, however, is exactly what likely happens if you buy any appliance with a cellular modem and SIM card inside. Any object like that, says Linux Weekly News, will be “able to report home whether the “owner” wants it to or not. The vendor will retain control and will be able to, for example, disable the device at will."
Now, nothing that is yours should “phone home” without explicit permission from you. What can be done to about this problem is not clear yet, except for one thing: to spread awareness that the problem exists, and that it is something wrong. For more details, and (especially in the comments) possible solutions, please continue reading at Linux Weekly News.
Image source: Samsung admits its Smart TV is spying on you (2015)
Who writes this, why, and how to help
I am Marco Fioretti, tech writer and aspiring polymath doing human-digital research and popularization.
I do it because YOUR civil rights and the quality of YOUR life depend every year more on how software is used AROUND you.
To this end, I have already shared more than a million words on this blog, without any paywall or user tracking, and am sharing the next million through a newsletter, also without any paywall.
The more direct support I get, the more I can continue to inform for free parents, teachers, decision makers, and everybody else who should know more stuff like this. You can support me with paid subscriptions to my newsletter, donations via PayPal (mfioretti@nexaima.net) or LiberaPay, or in any of the other ways listed here.THANKS for your support!