The Internet of Things: What Everyone Needs to Know

by Scott J Shackelford

The Internet of Things (IoT) is the notion that nearly everything we use, from gym shorts to streetlights, will soon be connected to the Internet; the Internet of Everything (IoE) encompasses not just objects, but the social connections, data, and processes that the IoT makes possible. Industry and financial analysts have predicted that the number of Internet-enabled devices will increase from 11 billion to upwards of 75 billion by 2020. Regardless of the number, the end result looks to be a mind-boggling explosion in Internet connected stuff. Yet, there has been relatively little attention paid to how we should go about regulating smart devices, and still less about how cybersecurity should be enhanced. Similarly, now that everything from refrigerators to stock exchanges can be connected to a ubiquitous Internet, how can we better safeguard privacy across networks and borders? Will security scale along with this increasingly crowded field? Or, will a combination of perverse incentives, increasing complexity, and new problems derail progress and exacerbate cyber insecurity? For all the press that such questions have received, the Internet of Everything remains a topic little understood or appreciated by the public.

This volume demystifies our increasingly "smart" world, and unpacks many of the outstanding security, privacy, ethical, and policy challenges and opportunities represented by the IoE. Scott J. Shackelford provides real-world examples and straightforward discussion about how the IoE is impacting our lives, companies, and nations, and explain how it is increasingly shaping the international community in the twenty-first century. Are there any downsides of your phone being able to unlock your front door, start your car, and control your thermostat? Is your smart speaker always listening? How are other countries dealing with these issues? This book answers these questions, and more, along with offering practical guidance for how you can join the effort to help build an Internet of Everything that is as secure, private, efficient, and fun as possible.

Genres: Technology

256 pages, Hardcover

Published June 1, 2020

Reviews

[Scott Pearson · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a society, we have quickly moved into and out of the computer age and into the age of the world wide web. We are soon moving into the age of the Internet of Things (IoT). These comprise a myriad of devices which “talk” together via computer networks. They collect mountains of data on us and are poised to revolutionize virtually every sphere of human life.

Although driven by technological advance, these changes are ultimately social in their reach. That means that the legal and business systems must react to them through regulation and restraint appropriately in order for society to continue to flourish. Along these lines, Shackelford approaches us with his summary of research. He especially focuses on cybersecurity amid concerns that these devices be exploited for evil and not for good.

I work as a software developer, yet this philosophical approach – that computers must be actively leveraged for the common good – is one that I try to adapt through my technology. Blindly deploying more technology is not the answer, but rather making better use of technology towards good ends. Shackelford would seem to agree with this approach. In the last chapter, he even addresses the concept of “cyber-peace” in discussing how to shape the future.

At times, it seems that this book can focus on new things that the reader can miss the central points. The central argument can be hard to follow because of so many new words and concepts. As with many subjects having to do with technology, this book’s narrative can get lost in a “data dump” of sorts. I could use a little more humanism (i.e., concern for practical human needs) and a little less focus on technical details, social acronyms, etc.

Overall, this book seems to achieve its intended target – that is, it seems to provide a lot of information about the IoT that “everyone” will “need to know.” It is certainly encyclopedic in its approach. I wish it spoke more about the human condition and not just government, business, and technology. That would have moved this book from good to great in my ledger. Nonetheless, if you’re curious about the social directions of technology, this book is a good place to begin.