Legacy Switches: A Proposal to Protect Privacy, Security, Competition, and the Environment from the Internet of Things

Legacy Switches: A Proposal to Protect Privacy, Security, Competition, and the Environment from the Internet of Things

Georgetown University Law Center researchers propose that every IoT device manufacturer build a switch into their devices that disables any smart feature that contributes to security or privacy risks. This will render a smart thermostat just a thermostat and a smart doorbell just a doorbell, and will disable microphones, sensors, and wireless connectivity. Any user should find it easy to use and easy to verify whether the switch has been toggled.

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4149789