Enhancing Consumer Awareness of Privacy and the Internet of Things

This report presents empirical data about the purchasing patterns, common uses and knowledge Australians have of the privacy impacts of consumer Internet of Things (CIoTs) devices. This data is supplemented by interviews concerning the security, privacy and regulatory risks of CIoTs with 32 key stakeholders from the fields of information security, regulation and academia. These perspectives provide new understandings of the role of CIoTs in contemporary Australian life and demonstrate the policy and regulatory challenges that emerge from their rapidly expanding use. Graphic icons were also considered as a potential mechanism for raising consumer awareness of privacy issues associated with CIoTs, but survey and interview findings indicate that substantial law reform and greater industry engagement are required before icons can have meaningful impact in addressing the privacy issues relating to CIoTs.