PROS AND CONS OF THE IoT

INTRODUCTION

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a global hub of devices that keeps growing by the day. It’s a novel component of the internet that is slowly but surely becoming an integral part of our daily lives.

To learn more about what this new phenomenon entails, check out the first part in the series of "Everything, You Need to Know About the Internet of Things." Click the link here. (hashnode.com/post/everything-you-need-to-kn.. )

Like every other ground-breaking discovery, the IoT has its fair share of benefits and setbacks. The seeming answer to our prayers for a more efficient living also comes with a dark side. Diving right in, we weigh in on the upsides and downsides of the IoT.

Pros

Security

Indeed, security has never been more enhanced, with countless methods of surveillance created by the IoT. Monitoring of entry and exits into a building, smart locks that can be opened by only authorized users, and breach alarms are just a few IoT benefits to security.

Also, lost people, animals, and items can be quickly retrieved by tracking devices attached to them. In cases of security emergencies, law enforcement officials are just a button or voice command away. This feature cuts minutes off the usual response time and ensures help arrives quicker.

Healthcare

Smartwatches, for instance, measure the user’s heart rate, pulse, blood pressure, and other vitals. This data is then analyzed to identify and indicate health problems.

During a health emergency, contacting the hospital is much more comfortable, as the user can sync their device with the hospital’s emergency server, alerting them to respond immediately.

Medical practitioners are also able to diagnose and offer treatment more effectively, armed with the necessary data about a patient’s health history. This process saves hours of tests and checkups, which can give the best treatment to patients.

Work

IoT encourages employees to work more efficiently. It allows the employer to know and track employee performance, dedication, and satisfaction.

Also, it makes workplace settings more flexible and grants more freedom to the employee, i.e., the option to work remotely.

With IoT, new businesses don’t have to invest in large buildings as workspace. Instead, they can easily purchase IoT devices for employees to keep working, regardless of their location.

Convenience

Home automation, traffic control, and automated shopping are just a few of the ways IoT devices make life easier. Daily, time-consuming tasks are automated to save time. Information sharing is quicker than ever.

You can just set a timer for your home automation feature to order pizza to coincide with the time you return from an outing. Marvelous, right?

The environment also benefits from this. Carbon footprint is reduced, with more digitally controlled vehicles becoming prevalent. Smart buildings can quickly predict fires, earthquakes, tornadoes, and other environmental hazards.

Cons

Safety and privacy

• Privacy breach. Unauthorized personnel can access crucial and classified information. • A hacker taking control of a self-driving vehicle can spell danger. • Location tracking makes stalking easier for predators. • Financial cybercrime becomes increasingly common.

Unemployment

• Lots of menial workers lose their jobs due to automation. • Fewer job opportunities • Sky-high unemployment rates

Tech-dependency

• People begin to rely heavily on technology for daily activities. • Automation becomes rampant • Human activities, like child care, are delegated to technology. • A power outage may be all it takes to make the world stop

Health

Because even the most basic tasks become automated, human movement reduces. A sedentary lifestyle is also encouraged, resulting in life-threatening diseases like obesity and muscular dystrophy. Wrong delivery of food or toiletries may trigger an allergic reaction, which may not end on a good note.

Conclusion

Ultimately, like every other major invention, we have to appreciate the numerous benefits the IoT brings to our daily lives—the ease, efficiency, and flexibility.

Doing this will help us focus more on alleviating the dark side of the IoT and create a better version with fewer detrimental effects.

This article is the second in a four-part series on Everything You Need to Know About the Internet of Things. You can catch up on the first article of the series here: (hashnode.com/post/everything-you-need-to-kn..)