The Smart Meter and Our Data Privacy



There is an increasing fear among members of the public that our data is being stored without our consent and then used to control and manipulate us. Last year, in France, there were huge demonstrations calling for people to stop using Linky, the smart meter that was introduced by French energy giant EDF. The concerns surrounding the technology were that the meter would act as a Trojan horse. It would sit in our house and harvest vast amounts of data about us that would eventually be used to manipulate our spending.

The data that is recorded by a smart meter consists primarily of our gas and electricity usage. However, experts explain that they are actually collecting far more than this. Patterns in gas and electricity usage can tell analysts when people are most likely to be at home, how many showers households take, and which appliances they use most among other things. This can then be transformed into targeted marketing.

In the wake of the roll out of the GDPR, companies have to be extremely careful with how they use their customers’ data. Nevertheless, energy companies are using this data to create highly detailed personal profile for each and every customer. This then allows third party organisations to offer targeted advertising based on the profile of the individual. This is being seen as overly-surveillant by many who are concerned about that level of data being held by their energy supplier.

The real question to ask is whether or not these fears are valid? Studies have already disproved smart meters being linked to any negative effects on health. But, are they causing us to lose control over our own personal data. Smart Energy GB, an industry body, is of the opinion that the concerns are overblown and we do not need to be so worried. It explained that the data transferred is simply a meter reading and that personal details, such as your address and bank account, are not held within the meter.

Furthermore, Smart Energy asserts that your energy supplier cannot transfer the data it has collected from smart meters for sales and marketing purposes without your consent. This means that you will need to tick a box or sign a form somewhere along the line in order for your data to be shared. It is all too easy to tick and sign whatever needs to be done to get your technology up and running. However, taking your time and reading exactly what you are signing up for could prevent your data being shared with third parties, so be wary. Once your data is out there, it could be used in a way you didn’t anticipate.

While it seems like smart meters might not be as bad as many initially thought, the product highlights the growing concern over new smart technology and our data privacy. Is it possible for our data ever to be completely deleted from cyberspace once it is out there? The powers that be tell us that it is and that we are entitled to the right to be forgotten. How well this works in practice remains to be seen. Stay vigilant and constantly question who you are sharing your data with and what they need it for.

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