Connections between Smart Meters, the Internet of Things, and Personal Data Protection
In the rapidly evolving world of technology, the debate surrounding data rights, particularly in relation to smart meters, has gained significant attention. The UK government has recently opened a consultation on smart meter data practices, with proposals suggesting that consumers should have real-time, online, and third-party access to their smart meter data.
The energy industry is acknowledging the need for customers to have control over their smart meter data. The data, which represents a record of a customer's activity at home, has potential value for energy consumption analysis and savings identification. From a customer's perspective, this data is crucial in determining how their energy is used, offering opportunities for savings and informed decisions.
The question of who 'owns' this data, however, remains a topic of discussion. The European Commission's Data Protection Directive states that data subjects have rights in determining how data about them is used. Yet, as the Internet of Things (IoT) raises questions about standard definitions of data subject and data controller, the issue becomes more complex.
The entity responsible for establishing new, previously unexpressed individual rights in the development of the IoT is generally a legal or regulatory body that defines such rights in the evolving technological context. Institutions like the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IGE) play a key role in setting frameworks for new rights related to innovations and technologies.
The debate is ongoing, with privacy concerns about smart meters being viewed by some as an 'abundance of caution' by Chris King, chief policy officer at eMeter. Assurances have been made that no data collection or use will be done without the customer's explicit permission.
In the US, the government has established a standard for smart meter data access called the 'Green Button', allowing customers to download data in a standard format from utility companies' websites. A 'Bill of Rights for the Internet of things' is also being compiled, proposing that stakeholders in data collection should have a role in data decision making and governance.
From a utility provider's perspective, data from smart meters is telemetry data that helps analyze service usage. However, companies are also collecting data from objects that describe customer behavior and movements, beyond personally identifying information. This raises further questions about data privacy and ownership.
Usman Haque, CEO of Cosm, questions whether data from devices in public spaces belongs to the device owner or the individuals in the footage. As the IoT has the capacity to blur the physical and virtual worlds, these questions become increasingly important.
In an interesting twist, a Facebook game has been developed that uses Green Button data, highlighting both the potential benefits and concerns associated with data usage in the IoT era. As the debate continues, it is clear that the rights of data subjects will play a crucial role in shaping the future of this technology.
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