Your Smart Home, Their Weapon: The Hidden World of Tech Abuse
summary
Connected devices are actively used in intimate partner abuse: GPS trackers, spy apps, Tiles and plain phones enable stalking; smart fridges and vacuums become tools for gaslighting claims about cameras or knives; a smart lock with a single-owner account model lets one person revoke others and monitor activity. Research finds people in relationships share ~12 account types, and companies lack caller-verification and escalation for victims. Design fixes recommended: equality of owner rights, consent prompts, visible recording indicators, automatic logout, and an ongoing study using commercial IoT-finders to detect hidden devices.
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chapters (10)
- 0:00Start
- 0:05Introduction to Technology-Facilitated Abuse
- 2:18What is Tech Abuse? Examples & Impact
- 4:27How IoT Devices Are Misused in IPV
- 8:03The Gender Dynamics in Tech Abuse
- 10:22Technical Challenges of IoT Security
- 11:29Real-Life Examples of IoT Abuse
- 13:35IoT Design Flaws and Security Gaps
- 15:21Solutions for IoT Developers
- 19:32Ongoing Research and Future Directions
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