Written evidence: Connected tech: Smart or sinister? - Dr Ana Canhoto, Professor Ashley Braganza, Dr Asieh Tabaghdehi

This written evidence submitted by Dr Ana Canhoto, Professor Ashley Braganza, and Dr Asieh Tabaghdehi, analyses the most important impacts of increasingly prevalent smart and connected technology in our lives. The evidence states that:

• The most important impact of smart technology has been the datafication of daily life, which creates opportunities, as well as threats, at the individual, organisational and town levels.
• Vulnerability in the face of smart technology arises from contextual factors, such as unavailability of technology, inability to technology, and consequences of using technology. 
• To design socially responsible smart technologies, firms need to consider how the connectivity, cognitive ability and imperceptibility of the smart system create specific risks in terms on input, process, and output. This can be enforced through a mixture of push and pull mechanisms.
• Smart technology can fundamentally change the nature of competition in its associated industries. There are also important risks to consider at the level of individuals’ safety and their mental health.
• Customers are unlikely to make purchase decisions of smart technology based on geo-political considerations.

Read the full evidence here