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What's hidden among the Internet of Things?

Technology that lets your phone, thermostat, fridge and baby's diaper all connect wirelessly may be convenient, but critics warn about the vast potential for abuse among the Internet of Things.
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Like it or not, our things are starting to talk to one another through wireless connections. And critics believe we may not like the stories they're spreading about us. (Reuters/Dado Ruvic)

We text with it, download with it, buy with it, sell with it, play with it and work with it. And now, it may be payback time. Today we look at how the Internet of Things may be poised to tell tales about us over the web.

We become what we behold. We shape our tools, and thereafter our tools shape us.- Marshall McLuhan, Philosopher of Communication Theory

One of the less popular rides at DisneyWorld is the Carousel of Progress. It features a shiny, optimistic vision of the future that includes voice-activated appliances.

That's an idea that's long been promised - home gadgets that talk to us, learn our desires and practically become friends, but increasingly, interactive appliances are now keeping you comfortable.

There's the thermostat that gets to know you. The fridge that makes its own shopping lists. And -- in Brazil at least -- there are even diapers that will tweet you when the baby is wet.

This is what is called The Internet of Things.

We're in the early stages yet, but a future where a toothbrush books a dental appointment may be barreling down on us.

The number of internet-connected objects now out-numbers humans. We're at 10 billion smart devices and counting. And in South Korea, they're getting really ambitious. The city of Songdo is being built from scratch, with every aspect ready to be connected to the internet. It's set to be fully operational in the next few years.

There's a lot of consumer interest in these new gadgets - but also privacy concerns. Last week, Google bought Nest, a maker of smart thermostats and smoke detectors, for more than 3-Billion-dollars. Days before that, Google was found in violation of Canada's privacy laws. And its move to get a foothold in the smart gadget market caused an outcry in the tech world.

Today, we're asking where all this technology is heading, how we can benefit and what we may lose in the process.

  • Robert Platek is the CEO of Sensor Suite, a technology system that lets building owners get real-time alerts about their properties over their smartphones. It's currently in use in 30 buildings across Toronto. Robert Platek was in Toronto.
  • Avner Levin is the Director of the Privacy and Cyber Crime Institute at Ryerson University. He shares his insight on how to protect ourselves and our data from the Internet of Things. Avner Levin was in our Toronto studio.
  • Christine Rosen is a fellow at the New America Foundation, a non-partisan think-tank in Washington.

We want to hear what you think about the Internet of Things. Tell us your experiences with smart technology of any kind. And give us your ideas for what you'd like smart technology to be able to do for you?

We've opened up our comments on our web page, join in the conversation. Tweet us @thecurrentcbc. Follow us on Facebook. Or e-mail us through our website. And you can always call us toll-free at 1 877 287 7366.

This segment was produced by The Current's Karin Marley, Pacinthe Mattar and Alexa Huffman.

Last Word: 1981 News Report on the Internet

The Internet of Things and what the future may hold is an area so fraught with uncertainty, it's laughable. And we thought you deserved a laugh.

So here's a TV report from 1981 about the coming technologies that would soon link the world together -- by dial up phone modem and a monochrome monitor. Some of the terminology may be unfamiliar to younger listeners.

Just keep in mind the report was prepared three decades ago when newspapers had "money" to "invest."

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