I’ve spent much of the past year studying the potential public policy ramifications associated with the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT). As I was preparing some notes for my Jan. 6th panel discussing on “Privacy and the IoT: Navigating Policy Issues” at this year’s 2015 CES show, I went back and collected all my writing on IoT issues so that I would have everything in one place. Thus, down below I have listed most of what I’ve done over the past year or so. Most of this writing is focused on the privacy and security implications of the Internet of Things, and wearable technologies in particular.
I plan to stay on top of these issues in 2015 and beyond because, as I noted when I spoke on a previous CES panel on these issues, the Internet of Things finds itself at the center of what we might think of a perfect storm of public policy concerns: Privacy, safety, security, intellectual property, economic / labor disruptions, automation concerns, wireless spectrum issues, technical standards, and more. When a new technology raises one or two of these policy concerns, innovators in those sectors can expect some interest and inquiries from lawmakers or regulators. But when a new technology potentially touches all of these issues, then it means innovators in that space can expect an avalanche of attention and a potential world of regulatory trouble. Moreover, it sets the stage for a grand “clash of visions” about the future of IoT technologies that will continue to intensify in coming months and years.
That’s why I’ll be monitoring developments closely in this field going forward. For now, here’s what I’ve done on this issue as I prepare to head out to Las Vegas for another CES extravaganza that promises to showcase so many exciting IoT technologies.
- essay: “A Nonpartisan Policy Vision for the Internet of Things,” December 11, 2014.
- slide presentation: “Policy Issues Surrounding the Internet of Things & Wearable Technology,” September 12, 2014.
- law review article: “The Internet of Things and Wearable Technology Addressing Privacy and Security Concerns without Derailing Innovation,” November 2014.
- essay: “CES 2014 Report: The Internet of Things Arrives, but Will Washington Welcome It?” January 8, 2014.
- essay: “The Growing Conflict of Visions over the Internet of Things & Privacy,” January 14, 2014.
- oped: “Can We Adapt to the Internet of Things?” IAPP Privacy Perspectives, June 19, 2013
- agency filing: My Filing to the FTC in its ‘Internet of Things’ Proceeding, May 31, 2013
- book: Permissionless Innovation: The Continuing Case for Comprehensive Technological Freedom, 2014.
- video: Cap Hill Briefing on Emerging Tech Policy Issues, June 2014.
- essay: “What’s at Stake with the FTC’s Internet of Things Workshop,” November 18, 2013.
- law review article: “Removing Roadblocks to Intelligent Vehicles and Driverless Cars,” September 16, 2014.
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