Smart Homes & Home Security

Rochelle32093843

So I personally am not doing this but a few of my friends have and nearly all of them have had problems! With either their app and cameras not working because they go off the home wifi connection, so if the connection is poor the cameras don't work and also one of my friends has had their entire security system "mirrored" where a hacker got into the wifi system and then also got into the home cameras they were able to mirrorr the home security system so they could see everything the family was doing saying, when they were sleeping etc. Not something i think Is a good idea in this day and age

kidwithsmurf

Hardly anything in my home is smart. Only thing I have that is classed as smart is my smartphone. This said, my opinion on everything becoming connected and "smart", smart is the way of the future. However, right now, everything in your home becoming connected and "smart" in 2021 is not the way to go.

I say it's not the way to go just yet in 2021 because there have been numerous instances where these devices have been hacked. This is because the security around smart home devices aren't up to scratch. Smart devices like Amazon Ring and Google Nest have easily been hacked recently to allow outside users to talk through them, change settings and even look through them. This is similar to baby monitors which have been hacked. Also, with Google and Amazon Smart Speakers coming into the devices that most people have these days, even these are not secure due to the fact it's been reported the companies are listening to you through these devices. This further aids the argument against having everything connected and smart. Likewise if everything is connected and smart, it will only take one of your smart devices to be hacked and the hacker could have control over every smart device connected to the hacked one. Furthermore, if the power was to go out and you had everything smart, such as your door, garage, lights or even the internet was to go out... you'd be without access to vital things, even entry to your own house.

On the other hand, there are good reasons that all devices in your home are connected and smart. These are the likes of convenience, helpfulness and security. This is because most connected home smart devices can be controlled from voice, movements/sounds or even remotely when you're not at home. For example if you had a smart doorbell, you could see who is home from elsewhere as it is connected online. You could even schedule things from outside your house to happen at a certain time, so when you got home the lights are on etc.

Overall, even though having smart home devices that are all connected are very convenient, helpful and aid security, the con's of them easily being hackable in 2021 outway any of the pros. No-one wants a device where someone else can hack it and spy on them, control their lights, smart fridges door camera's etc at their own will. Also, people are scared that others are watching/listening to them through their computer's webcam, little own smart home devices... Hence, until security of these devices becomes on par with computers and people stop worrying about being listened to or watched through things like computer webcams... I personally won't be making all my devices connected and smart.

Marie-Clare

Concerned that everything is connected to the internet, which is taking all the information and using to to promote products and services in a targeted fashion. I am concerned about the smart era and lack of primacy and constant marketing of products based an what they see you look at on the internet!

Tazzyd

The concern is if the technology fails or a virus happens how are you then going to get into your own home with out braking in and setting alarms off. What if the system becomes hacked and another person takes ownership of your property

hispania

I think these things are very clever and work well but I am ok as I am. We were given a Google Home Mini with our internet package when the NBN was installed. The novelty was fun and we would ask it what the weather was going to be or who starred in a particular movie or what I could substitute for a particular ingredient in a recipe. They are fun things but I had other quick ways of finding out the answers. The device stays on all the time and sometimes "joins in" the conversation. No one has said "Hey Google" to it but it will suddenly activate itself and say it can't find the answer. At other times when someone on TV says Hey Google our Google Home will answer them - so much for training it to answer our voices!! It also has responded to my son's voice when he doesn't live with us and only visits once a year because he lives overseas and has had his accent influenced by having lived overseas for many years. I don't yet feel the need for this device to turn on my lights or play music for me or draw the blinds. I am quite happy to have that little bit of exercise.

franken

Where it makes it easier for you I think that can be a good approach. For example finger print and/or facial recognition is good say for premise entry/exit, mobile phones. I am not so keen for my house to be completely reliant on 'smart' technology unless there for example a backup system in place that can override the smart system whether it be a battery or a switch to manual operation.

***Pottsy***

Personally I am trying to use less technology, as I believe it is bad for the Earth's health and our own.
I find a lot of technology just causes me extra work, not makes things easier. I rarely used any of the smart devices I had, so I turned them off. My whole family is home 24 hours a day atm but I still keep the home very secure with non-tech devices and methods (including a guard dog). Security is important but so is the need to be environmentally aware.

***Pottsy***

Personally I am trying to use less technology, as I believe it is bad for the Earth's health and our own.
I find a lot of technology just causes me extra work, not makes things easier. I rarely used any of the smart devices I had, so I turned them off. My whole family is home 24 hours a day atm but I still keep the home very secure with non-tech devices and methods (including a guard dog). Security is important but so is the need to be environmentally aware.

***Pottsy***

Personally I am trying to use less technology, as I believe it is bad for the Earth's health and our own.
I find a lot of technology just causes me extra work, not makes things easier. I rarely used any of the smart devices I had, so I turned them off. My whole family is home 24 hours a day atm but I still keep the home very secure with non-tech devices and methods (including a guard dog). Security is important but so is the need to be environmentally aware.

Bill Collins

I dislike everything being Connected to Smart devices as these devices make you very vunerable to being Hacked. Nothing in our home is smart connected, because of fear of phishing & hacker intrusions. No, but we have a alarm, locks on doors & windows, gates, high fences around back half of house. I am worried because of the following: phishing scams, hackers, threats of possible viruses, the problems when your electricity is off & you cannot access your home or garage.

Bez70

Personally I have too many concerns about being hacked, poor connectivity and power failures. But for visually or physically impaired persons this technology could assist and improve their daily life.

D_D

Nope, waste of time and money.

Moongold

I actually find it hard to believe humanity can be so stupid as to place all its reliance on something (electronic technology) with no backup in place when someone 'pulls the plug'! Plus, the generation of young people being born into this technological age will have no education in how to survive without it. That to me is just plain stupid. Learning to live off the grid and without this dependency on technology I believe is imperative.

ab

IMO smart homes and cars are all very good but the technology is still in it's infancy. Many of the comments already made have identified the potential shortcomings and risks. As ivory pointed out about the need for continuous uninterrupted power supply. And then there are the risks that capfantastic said with the likelihood of having the security compromised. Imagine that for a moment ... suddenly your wireless cameras are being used by a hacker to watch you!
Don't get me wrong, I love technology that is intuitive and helpful...I hope I'm still around to witness that...but at the moment, these smart lights, robo vacuums, motorised blinds, smart door locks etc aren't part of a unified system and even if they were they are at risk of hacking. One of the most interesting comments made by a motor car reviewer was that when you're buying a car on the cutting edge of technology, you're buying an experiment. That's what these 'smart' things are, an experiment for all the early adopters.
I'll wait for the system that works - it knows that I'm approaching the front door and unlocks the door for me, sets the room temp and humidity to my preferences, turns the TV on to my favourite channel and follows my instructions etc. Gee I hope I can afford that LOL.
Until then I'll get off my sorry butt and do it myself as nature intended. :)

Zelda

My home is very "dumb" hehehe. I don't even have a web cam. I have heard that smart devices can spy on people and leak their information. The only smart device i have is my mobile phone. I worry about smart devices breaching people's privacy.

ivory

What happens when the power goes out or computers are down? Hackers will find a way past all that anyway! Will you be locked out if the power goes down? Blinds can't be lowered or raised then either. I will stick with being manual I think, for now anyway!

Zaire

I have resigned myself to the fact that I have a tracking and listening device within reach of me at all times - my mobile phone. But I will never give companies or any individual with an ounce of know-how (or technology) physical access to my home with "smart" keys. I'll also never invite Google, Amazon, Apple et al into my home with "personal assistants" to listen to my every movement and conversation 24/7. The idea of giving up my personal safety and privacy is absolutely laughable. The so-called "convenience" they offer in exchange for almost complete access to our lives is so ridiculously small, it will never happen for me.

CWG

It sounds good and fantastic. However, I do have some reservations. For instance, what does this mean to my privacy? How do I decide if I am not giving away too much information when setting up for the ultimate connectedness. Another issue is about security with this new smart technology. Though I have anti-virus and other malicious detection apps on my PC, I am not certain if these apps are strong enough to detect and deter any infringement. Truthfully, I want to be part of smart technology and reap the convenience and benefits, but I am not convinced if my current digital setup is ready for it.

Jezemeg8

I have no interest whatsoever in 'Smart Home Technology' and won't be wasting money on it. If I want to know what it's like outside I look outside for myself. If I want to change the channel I'm watching I simply use my remote control (the only 'advanced' innovation I use. Even though I suffer increasing disability I make every effort to continue to do everyday thing by myself. In any case as my speech can be often hard for even humans to understand I doubt Google etc would understand it either!

gobombers

I think it's amazing how technology has gone a long way and will continue there a lot of appliances now that are smarter then ever I have about 6 things that work with my phone and proud of having them I now stick to smart devices from now on.

Sim1here

We have some smart products but I refused to get a smart baby monitor.

jtmorri

I personally don't want to live in a surveillance oriented world. The smart technology I use is a TV, mobile and laptop (maybe my car has it too). I wouldn't automate my home with smart technology nor would I have a device like google nest to talk to as I think you can be locked out or your cameras can be breached and used to spy on you along with a listening device like google nest.

lavenders

I have recently implemented smart technology at home in the form of smart security camera which detects and records movement. It definitely makes me feel safer as I get constant updates through my phone but I guess the downside to that would be the high sensitivity of the motion detector which spams me with recordings of useless things.

Thinkhard

Smart home and smart securities can be very handy.
Pros:
For example, camera with 24 hours recording and live.
Cons:
For example, there was a video posted on Facebook about thieves stole a 2019 mercesdes Benz car, which the brand has high recognition with luxury and latest technology. This will a smart door or garage or others home securities really secured? It is depending on each individual opinion .

capfantastic

I am concerned about being locked in or out of my house by a robot. I don’t trust humans and they write the programs! The hackers are just as “smart” as the developers so I suggest a security grill and a baseball bat under the bed.

dee

EVERYTHING IS TOO MUCH TECHNOLOGY.

Moongold

EVERYTHING IS TOO MUCH TECHNOLOGY.

Amen!