Data privacy
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Interesting discussion with a privacy expert. Here's a great one...
Clare Duffy
Okay. So I wanted to ask about that, whether there are other devices that might play into our data profile beyond what I'm doing on my phone or my computer. So, is it like they can access the data from your connected car, connected speakers, those kinds of things too?
David Choffnes
Absolutely. So, it's different companies getting access to data depending on what device we're talking about. Smart speakers are fairly pervasive in our homes. These are devices with always on microphones. And there's just so many other kinds of devices, video doorbells, security cameras, even something as simple as our fridges. We found devices in our lab that have cameras are now doing automatic food recognition.
Clare Duffy
Wow.
David Choffnes
So, they're checking out what's in your fridge. And, you know, you might say, well, why are they doing that? How could they use that data? And, you know, so we like to think about the worst, unfortunately, we're very depressing people to talk to, privacy experts. But imagine them selling that to your health insurance company and say, nah, you know, it seems like you're not eating healthy food. Or yeah, of course, they also know when you're home and when you're not, how often you open the fridge. All kinds of data like that.
Clare Duffy
Or even like, I can imagine getting an ad from the grocery store for milk as soon as you're about to run out of milk. Like, that's crazy to think about.
David Choffnes
Yeah, there is a level of creepiness I did not expect.
Podcast and transcript:
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I went to j-school with a Claire Duffy. Class of '89. Didn't know she was at CNN!
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They don't use the word, "invasion" in the phrase, "invasion of privacy," for nothing.
Creepy and disgusting.
