We’re hurtling towards a connected future, one that promises a technological landscape so attuned to our behaviour,preferences and habits that it will simply fade into the background – with a promise to be so integrated into our lives that we won’t even notice it.
But as that vision becomes more of a reality, the advantages and disadvantages of such a model become more apparent. The benefits are in many ways obvious, but the risks require more careful examination.
The Internet of Things will force us to re-evaluate at a fundamental level who to trust, and should trust, with our data; because if consumer data isn’t being shared, the IoT won’t exist. It is becoming clearer that in order to persuade consumers to opt in, that the industry needs to develop more stringent best practices around data protection and privacy. At the moment efforts in this area are too fragmented – everyone is working to the beat of their own drum. There needs to be much wider industry collaboration and the establishment of a working body that everyone signs up to. That is the only way to ensure the connected future is a safe one..
Charles Sweeney is CEO of Bloxx. He has worked with a number of successful high-growth SMEs across a variety of sectors including medical devices, animal health and software development.
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