More SmartMeter News: Privacy Issues ripping to the surface

Russ Steele

I have written about the dangers and contrived benefits of SmartMeters, but the worse is that they are being forced on us, resulting in loss of your personal freedom. Here is one example. To find all of my SmartMeter articles search on the SmartMeters Category.

Anthony Watts writes about the issue at Watts Up With That in The SmartMeter backfiring privacy issue.

The promise was to help you control your electricity bill by becoming more aware of your energy use. The downside is that with the data gathered, other people and businesses can also become more aware of your habits, like when you go to work, go on vacation, etc. Is the potential energy savings worth the invasion of privacy trade-off? I sure don’t think so. I really don’t want PG&E or anyone else for that matter knowing how I live my life inside my own home.

Anthony links to an article from the Electronic Frontier Foundation on the privacy issues associated with the collection of SmartMeter data and how utility companies need to protect your privacy by restricting access to third parties.