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The U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) recently called for comments about the benefits and risks of government regulation of the Internet of Things (IoT). Now the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has waded into the conversation by releasing an official statement on the matter.
The statement outlined potential benefits of IoT, for example, “Big data analysis of information collected from connected health devices can facilitate health research and lead to breakthroughs in treatment. Similarly, analysis of data collected from a connected public infrastructure to detect, for example, the lighting patterns on public streets, can help improve energy efficiency.”
However, it also highlighted potential risks, noting that the inexpensive, disposable nature of IoT devices means “businesses may not have an incentive to support software updates for the full useful life of these devices, potentially leaving consumers with vulnerable devices.”
