Guiding principles for IoT privacy and security issued by ACM public policy groups

Stuart Shapiro, USACM chair

The ACM US Public Policy Council (USACM) and the ACM Europe Council Policy Committee (EUACM) have released a Statement on IoT Privacy and Security addressing existing and expected privacy and security concerns in the Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem.

IoT is catalysing new applications and opportunities for society. The benefits to productivity and efficiency are unprecedented. The growing dependence on IoT components makes the reach and impact of the technology unparalleled.

At the same time, the IoT ecosystem, characterised by the pervasiveness and the diversity of its components, raises unique privacy and security concerns. The implications for physical safety and the threat of unexpected risks enhance the need for appropriate privacy and security protections of IoT components. Advancements in predictive analytics and algorithms that facilitate large-scale collection, use, analysis, and sharing of user data amplify these concerns.

The principles embodied in the USACM/EUACM Statement on IoT Privacy and Security propose policy and technical approaches to tackle emerging privacy and security challenges while ensuring that the technology continues to move forward. The Statement on IoT Privacy and Security highlights the complementary nature of privacy and security and the importance of addressing IoT privacy and security throughout the entire lifecycle of a product.

The Statement on IoT Privacy and Security is guided by the belief that a variety of stakeholders—including government officials, academia, industry, nonprofits, technical experts, and consumer advocates—need to jointly address the challenges brought on by the large-scale nature and reach of IoT.

The statement calls for coordinated efforts among stakeholders, including internationally, as many of these issues will cross borders. The statement raises the importance of educating consumers. Transparency and consumer empowerment are integral to promoting consumer trust and safety.

Fabrizio Gagliardi

“These principles seek to address and avoid problems at their source,” said Stuart Shapiro, USACM chair. “With the ubiquity of IoT, retrofitting is not always a possibility, and, when it is, it can be difficult and costly.”

Fabrizio Gagliardi, EUACM chair, added that the global nature of IoT calls for an international strategy. “IoT issues cross borders and international coordination is necessary,” said Gagliardi. “The privacy and security of the IoT ecosystem is an important topic for computing experts globally. The Statement on IoT Privacy and Security provides solid guidance for policymakers in the United States and in Europe.”

The Statement on IoT Privacy and Security will serve as a foundation for a forthcoming Policy White Paper on IoT.

Comment on this article below or via Twitter: @IoTNow OR @jcIoTnow

RECENT ARTICLES

Get a US$50 Amazon voucher for sharing your IoT brand knowledge

Posted on: March 28, 2024

We want to know what you know about the IoT space. Just 3 minutes could earn you a US$50 Amazon digital gift card!

Read more

Enhance EV charging performance with cellular connectivity

Posted on: March 28, 2024

Electric vehicles (EVs) are steadily growing their market share at the expense of internal combustion engine vehicles. The growth is fuelled by several factors. Perhaps most importantly, prices for EVs have started to drop as competition in the industry is intensifying. New players and models are emerging, prompting several established EV makers to lower their

Read more
FEATURED IoT STORIES

What is IoT? A Beginner’s Guide

Posted on: April 5, 2023

What is IoT? IoT, or the Internet of Things, refers to the connection of everyday objects, or “things,” to the internet, allowing them to collect, transmit, and share data. This interconnected network of devices transforms previously “dumb” objects, such as toasters or security cameras, into smart devices that can interact with each other and their

Read more

The IoT Adoption Boom – Everything You Need to Know

Posted on: September 28, 2022

In an age when we seem to go through technology boom after technology boom, it’s hard to imagine one sticking out. However, IoT adoption, or the Internet of Things adoption, is leading the charge to dominate the next decade’s discussion around business IT. Below, we’ll discuss the current boom, what’s driving it, where it’s going,

Read more

9 IoT applications that will change everything

Posted on: September 1, 2021

Whether you are a future-minded CEO, tech-driven CEO or IT leader, you’ve come across the term IoT before. It’s often used alongside superlatives regarding how it will revolutionize the way you work, play, and live. But is it just another buzzword, or is it the as-promised technological holy grail? The truth is that Internet of

Read more

Which IoT Platform 2021? IoT Now Enterprise Buyers’ Guide

Posted on: August 30, 2021

There are several different parts in a complete IoT solution, all of which must work together to get the result needed, write IoT Now Enterprise Buyers’ Guide – Which IoT Platform 2021? authors Robin Duke-Woolley, the CEO and Bill Ingle, a senior analyst, at Beecham Research. Figure 1 shows these parts and, although not all

Read more

CAT-M1 vs NB-IoT – examining the real differences

Posted on: June 21, 2021

As industry players look to provide the next generation of IoT connectivity, two different standards have emerged under release 13 of 3GPP – CAT-M1 and NB-IoT.

Read more

IoT and home automation: What does the future hold?

Posted on: June 10, 2020

Once a dream, home automation using iot is slowly but steadily becoming a part of daily lives around the world. In fact, it is believed that the global market for smart home automation will reach $40 billion by 2020.

Read more

5 challenges still facing the Internet of Things

Posted on: June 3, 2020

The Internet of Things (IoT) has quickly become a huge part of how people live, communicate and do business. All around the world, web-enabled devices are turning our world into a more switched-on place to live.

Read more