In the future, I hear that could be difficult.
Posted on 09/15/2013 5:37:37 PM PDT by rickmichaels
The devil is always in the detail.
So-called “smart appliances” are a popular feature in the modern home. Odds are your new electric kettle, dishwasher, dryer, microwave or even the toaster comes with a pre-installed microchip that enables its operation to be monitored by a third party.
All it needs is a compatible system of Wi-Fi technology to link the appliance to that separate party — which is provided via the Hydro One technology.
Manufacturers are aware of the possibility this offers.
Here is a standard addition to any warranty to kitchen goods sold by the Whirlpool Corporation of America.
“If you use, connect or register a Smart Appliance, we may collect information about you, including your contact information, information about your Smart Appliance, information from your use of SmartPhone Applications or other third party devices (such as smart meters), and information collected by the Smart Appliance Services website.
“We may collect information from a variety of sources, including from you directly, from your Smart Appliance, from your use of the Smart Appliance Services, and from third party sources.”
That makes it clear information can be collected. Will it be shared with others?
“We may share certain information we collect from you (including Personal Information) with our brands and with third parties acting on our behalf.
“We may use information we collect from you to provide you with the Smart Appliance Services, for troubleshooting and maintenance (including for warranty purposes), to communicate with you about your account or your appliance, to offer you products or services, and for other purposes.”
Whirlpool submits that by the simple act of buying their appliances you, the consumer, sign away your rights to privacy.
Concerns over the technology are widespread in the U.S., Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
This was acknowledged by BC Hydro earlier this year when it stopped rollout of its smart meters after a consumer backlash.
The CEO of BC Hydro ordered crews to stop installation if account holders who said they opposed the devices were not home.
A Jan. 21 e-mail from Charles Reid to Energy Minister Rich Coleman said BC Hydro sent a letter to those who objected to having a smart meter.
“If they responded with still saying ‘no,’ we respected that, but of course are still trying to convince otherwise,” Reid wrote.
“For those that did not respond, we went to their home and if we made contact and they still said ‘no,’ we respected that and did not install.”
There is no such provision in Ontario for a similar opt-out measure.
In the future, I hear that could be difficult.
I recently got a letter from BCHydro regarding the so-called smart meter. They offered me the following (Hobson’s) “choices” regarding the installation of same:
Option #1: Request the new meter, no charges other than the power I use.
Option #2: Request a new “Smart” meter with the transmitter turned off, for a one-time (set-up) fee of $100., and a monthly fee of $20. in addition to my monthly power use.
Option #3: Keep my old meter, and pay a monthly fee of $35. for the privilege of their not tracking the pattern of my power use.
I would have few issues with a smart meter if they charged a lower rate for off-hours power, but all they want is to track power use and (key priority) eliminate meter readers, who only come by quarterly as it is!
What could be more "green" that a dead appliance?
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