At first, I got excited about IOT showing up and the possibilities. I could automate everything ! Smart lights, smart TV, smart fridge, smart washing machine, s

At first, I got excited about IOT showing up and the possibilities. I could automate everything ! Smart lights, smart TV, smart fridge, smart washing machine, smart toaster, smart coffee machine, smart switch, smart plugs, smart lock, smart speaker, smart photo frame .... I spent months, interconnected everything, it felt awesome. Till it didn't. Few years in, I realized what a lie, a mirage it all has been! I bought them to make my life easier, it did the reverse (with some very rare exceptions). I just kept seeing weird bugs, random forced updates, missed schedules, firmware issues, interoperability issues. Then, I started seeing ads in physical mail, emails, even phone calls for new or renewing subscriptions. Real creepy stuff. All this to monitor usage and sell me more stuff ! I pulled the plug, dialed back on everything smart. I then realized I had a hard time getting my hands on products that get the job done and don't force me to connect it to the internet. I'm now monitoring my router logs for weird activity, locking products down and actively figuring out ways to firewall them. Such a waste!