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The electricity provider here requires the use of 'smart meters' (that is, if you want to use their electricity). Via smart meters, they can identify what elect

The electricity provider here requires the use of 'smart meters' (that is, if you want to use their electricity). Via smart meters, they can identify what electrical appliances are used in your house and when (and possibly even how you are using them, such as what TV show you are watching), giving them a good picture of everything that goes on in the privacy of your home.[1] There is no opt-out. They have this information on everyone in the state. [1] This is not at all a fringe theory. It's been discussed on HN at least a few times.

cthalupa 12y ago
>(and possibly even how you are using them, such as what TV show you are watching) This seems hard to implement, realistically. I know the theory behind it - they can determine how much power a scene takes to show on a TV. But this is going to fluctuate depending on the brand of TV, the model, and so on. They would need to have data for each scene for each different unique type of TV set, and that just doesn't really seem all that feasible, if you ask me.
jn1234 12y ago
Except is that information public? That information actually has an extremely legitimate use, which is to better manage peak grid usage and how to optimize that.
- hackuser 12y ago
  > Except is that information public? I don't think it needs to be easily accessible to the public to be problematic. Many people, including businesses and government, can have access. The electricity vendor has little incentive to protect it, to scrutinize government requests, etc. Recent NY Times articles describe the US Postal Service accepting almost all law enforcement requests for information on their customers. Also, data has a way of leaking ... > That information actually has an extremely legitimate use, which is to better manage peak grid usage and how to optimize that. I do see a benefit to it, but 1) It should be anonymized and minimized. For example, how about aggregating data about usage on my block and storing that? Cleaning it of anything that violates privacy, such as high-resolution individual signals? 2) My privacy is a higher priority than their technical benefits; there's an assumption (maybe not by you) that whenever there's a tradeoff, privacy doesn't amount to much -- this is money we're talking about, after all.
judk 12y ago
Install a capacitor to smooth out the signal. Watch the Adult Swim SmartPipe infomercial for another take.

cthalupa 12y ago

>(and possibly even how you are using them, such as what TV show you are watching) This seems hard to implement, realistically. I know the theory behind it - they can determine how much power a scene takes to show on a TV. But this is going to fluctuate depending on the brand of TV, the model, and so on. They would need to have data for each scene for each different unique type of TV set, and that just doesn't really seem all that feasible, if you ask me.

jn1234 12y ago

Except is that information public? That information actually has an extremely legitimate use, which is to better manage peak grid usage and how to optimize that.

hackuser 12y ago
> Except is that information public? I don't think it needs to be easily accessible to the public to be problematic. Many people, including businesses and government, can have access. The electricity vendor has little incentive to protect it, to scrutinize government requests, etc. Recent NY Times articles describe the US Postal Service accepting almost all law enforcement requests for information on their customers. Also, data has a way of leaking ... > That information actually has an extremely legitimate use, which is to better manage peak grid usage and how to optimize that. I do see a benefit to it, but 1) It should be anonymized and minimized. For example, how about aggregating data about usage on my block and storing that? Cleaning it of anything that violates privacy, such as high-resolution individual signals? 2) My privacy is a higher priority than their technical benefits; there's an assumption (maybe not by you) that whenever there's a tradeoff, privacy doesn't amount to much -- this is money we're talking about, after all.

judk 12y ago

Install a capacitor to smooth out the signal. Watch the Adult Swim SmartPipe infomercial for another take.