Soooooo.......how do you prevent it. Do you own a smart TV or two? My LG OLED Tv has been popping up boxes telling me to "agree" to voice control for my "convenience". Of course that means permission to record any audio that occurs in my bedroom. Uh, Nope! I already hate that it randomly lights up for a few seconds in the middle of the night which they say is for "updates". Do you have a Computer with a camera embedded? Tablet with Camera?, Video Doorbell? OK, now on to the less obvious choices.
1. Thermostats. I have two Ecobees which I really like. Of course they are controlled on the Apple Home App but I also have to have the Ecobee App to update, register, and access the many control features. Even if you or the HVAC folks change things directly on the thermostat itself, that control is being monitored updated, and reported online. Imagine my surprise when my upstairs Thermostat notified me about movement in my kitchen where the downstairs Thermostat is located. (overnight guest went down to the kitchen to get a bottle of water).
2. Ovens: Last year I had to replace the wall ovens in my house. Guess What? The ovens are connected to the internet via a separate App. Don't use it you say? No choice. Some of the best features are not operable except through the App.
3. Dishwasher: Next was a 17 year old dishwasher that died suddenly. Just had it installed and yep, you guessed it, has an App that is required to use some of the features. Everything I do can be done manually on the machine and I don't need to know when it finishes the cycle since I'm not going downstairs to empty it until the morning anyway. However, it apparently is still recording the time, date, cycles that I run, since I got a "summary" of usage along with recommendations that are "preferred" (by whom? I paid for the DW, pay for the energy to run it, pay for the water, pay for the detergent, salt, and drying agent that goes in it......so who thinks they have any right to tell me how I should change any of those things.....but I digress).
4. Washer and Dryer: My Samsung W/D set is nearly 13 years old but is controlled by touch screens that can be connected via WiFi. I don't have them connected and they are old enough that all features are available without internet access. I have no doubt the new ones will require connections, as even the repairmen put your machines online with s/n, location, and software updates. That's all they need to monitor you and your usage.
Right now, these little control freaks are just monitoring our behavior with these devices. I have to wonder how much audio and video is being stored and who has access to it. I do have additional concerns that someday the remote "little Karen gods" will attempt to control our thermostats, dishwashers, and ovens. It is apparent that even if you forego the Apps and available features, that the machines themselves have chips that allow them to be monitored online. Just registering them allows them (and you) to be monitored from afar.
Bottom line: I don't know if it's realistically possible to avoid being monitored. With AI and Quantum computing, constant monitoring of everything in our homes, every room, every person can be monitored via our appliances, tvs, phones, tablets providing tracking nodes. You and your data are just too valuable and they will find a way to track us, record us, and catalog how, when, and where we use our devices. They entice us to comply with the promise of "convenience", which we love. Eventually, I fear, these companies, the governement, will attempt to control our behavior via those devices but with brute force. They will shut off an appliance except during times they deem fit; they will limit temperatures on the thermostats to approved levels; and, of course, will censor anything we want to research or watch on tv, computer, tablet, phone that isn't approved by the state. But it all starts with monitoring us and our behavior online and in our homes, which have traditionally been a private haven for free speech and behavior.
So, if Russia or Venezuela wants to hack my door locks, I will be notified on my HOME app on my phone and can immediately relock it on my phone and change the code online. Nothing to be concerned about. But if my government decides to keep a record of everything I say, do, write, and who visits me in my home and can control my water, electricity usage, and ability to use my appliances.......that is a much greater concern.
