We frequently talk about smart home technology on The Neighborhood blog. It’s fun keeping track of the latest devices, as well as how this technology improves our everyday lives within our homes. While this technology is exciting, like most technology, it does have potential downsides. If you’re thinking about making smart adjustments to your home, it’s important to take the following issues into consideration.
New Opportunities for Hackers
Hackers are sophisticated and have figured out ways to steal consumer information from large corporate data breaches to small-scale email scams. Seeing that millions of Americans have far more than just their phones and computers connected to the internet, this serves as another opportunity for hackers to access valuable, personal data.
One of the biggest unknowns with the emergence of home smart technology is just how susceptible these devices are to hackers. According to a recent Mashable article, many smart home devices, more specifically automation platforms that help multiple devices communicate, can indeed be hacked. “If these brains can be accessed, and it turns out that many of them can be, then the entire system can be exploited,states the article.
Devalue Homes
Google “how to increase your home value.In the millions of results, you’ll notice that many of the how-articles recommend installing smart devices. Consumers are loving smart safety devices like fire and carbon monoxide detectors, security cameras, door locks, and lighting. However, according to Business Insider, overly complicated smart home systems can actually devalue your home, potentially making it unsellable. The article goes on to discuss how these devices should aim to bring convenience to homeowners, so opt for systems that are easy to operate and don’t take too long to learn how to use.
Increased Reliance on Technology
With emerging technology comes pros and cons. Pros typically revolve around how these devices make our lives easier, while many cons focus on how this increases our reliance on technology. At this point in history, we are absolutely reliant on technology. No longer do we head to libraries to perform research when we can simply perform a Google search on our cell phones. But with much of this new technology, we don’t even have to lift a finger to get instant results. You want the air conditioner turned up? You want to know the forecast? You need to turn the lights off? No longer do you have to get up, or heck, even pick up your phone. Simply bark a command at your smart speaker and your wish is your smart home’s command. While yes, this absolutely brings an unprecedented level of convenience to our everyday lives, it also increases our reliance on technology. Will future generations get to the point that they don’t know how to turn on a light, oven, or microwave without using their voice? Only time will tell.
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