Future of home automation software

I'm curious if you guys who are so scared of the data collection via Alexa / Google Assistant / etc. use Facebook? This is a serious question, because I know a ton of people who are hesitant to use any of the free services for this reason but then share every waking moment on Facebook. Even with not making that information in a public post, that info is easy enough for someone to obtain. And man, I see people sharing that awesome photo from the top of Vail or at the local Football game. Well, hey there, thanks for advertising you aren't at home...

As for the devices getting hacked, technically possible, I'll give you that. But I trust a Google or Amazon or Apple over HikVision and I let them at my house (not inside!) Also, if you look up the Bluetooth enabled door locks, nearly every one has been hacked. But I would use them if I ever need to change because if the criminal is going to that length to get in, well, you are screwed anyway.

I would agree with the couple of people who say they trust Apple with the information more... although I do think Google and Amazon are doing a pretty good job of keeping their troves of information within their companies. Facebook does not. The other companies that people tend to ignore are their cell phone providers. Most are quietly building a HUGE database of your usage and history and, as far as I know, the only way to defeat that is to use a VPN service or a Tor-like client.

Adam

I don't use Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or anything like that.. I use Twitter a bit as a lurker--on a very rare occasion I'll retweet something or enter a contest but that's about it. I've been thinking of rolling my own VPN to make public WiFi safer and whatnot, but haven't pulled the trigger on that yet.

Don't get me started on the cell phone companies...

Wouldn't touch Facebook with a 10 foot pole. And yes, I always encourage anyone to wait and post vacation photos to whatever site AFTER they are back home.

I'm certainly not ready for the smart locks. Not just for the security issue,but also because I don't want to be locked out because some update or failing battery or something disabled it. I love HA and Indigo as a bit of a hobby, but I also know that I am fairly frequently tweaking it when something goes on the fritz. I'm not ready for that with the actual locks on my house.

I do wish someone would create some nice smart locks, though, that only reported back their lock/unlock states. I might be willing to use those. Would be good to set up a notification if you were going to bed but forgot to set a deadbolt. I know some people have used the Insteon plunger switches for that.

I do not use Facebook or any of its tentacular subsidiaries.. And I discourage others. And pinterest makes me want to strangle it so no to that too.

Same here, no social media. I was on Facebook, and Instagram pretty actively for a while, but got so tired of the garbage on there that one day I deleted all of my posts, then deactivated my accounts. It's been almost two years now and I haven't missed it at all. There's still a Twitter account active, but I never use it. I do have a Linked account, but that's carefully curated, and really only used when I'm looking for a job. My wife has an Instagram account but nothing else, she's into nature photography and posts that sort of stuff a lot

Terry

And pinterest makes me want to strangle it so no to that too.

LOL, I have a Pintrest account only because I was trying to look at the plans for building something that someone had on there and finally gave up and made an account. Never have posted, or liked, or pinned or whatever the hell they call it. FYI, as a public service announcement, "frickyoupintrest" is NOT a valid name on the service.

And yes, I always encourage anyone to wait and post vacation photos to whatever site AFTER they are back home.

I would suspect most on this board/discussion are smart enough to do that, but not the other 99%...

I'm certainly not ready for the smart locks. Not just for the security issue,but also because I don't want to be locked out because some update or failing battery or something disabled it.

I have some old Morning Industry locks that I use just with a code - and a physical key available for that very reason you state. I wouldn't use an all-electronic lock. My gripe is that mine do not provide feedback... I'm with you on that being probably the #1 feature I would look for in the next lock.

For me, I use Facebook, but very little - mostly to follow others (my martial arts dojos, cub scouts, etc. mostly informational pages). Every now and then I will post but outside of a few pictures, I don't put anything particularly "revealing" on there. But I still despise Facebook on many levels.

“”I would suspect most on this board/discussion are smart enough to do that, but not the other 99%... “”
... so finally I know somebody from the top one percent.


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I always encourage anyone to wait and post vacation photos to whatever site AFTER they are back home..

And to quote a friend of mine who is a police detective currently handling several "eblackmail" cases from people who emailed or privately "shared" somehwat revealing pictures of themselves to new Facebook friends, "Never send pictures of your privates to people you don't know in person... Errrr REVISION; strike the second part of that..."

I'm certainly not ready for the smart locks. Not just for the security issue,but also because I don't want to be locked out because some update or failing battery or something disabled it. I love HA and Indigo as a bit of a hobby, but I also know that I am fairly frequently tweaking it when something goes on the fritz. I'm not ready for that with the actual locks on my house.


I do wish someone would create some nice smart locks, though, that only reported back their lock/unlock states. I might be willing to use those. Would be good to set up a notification if you were going to bed but forgot to set a deadbolt. I know some people have used the Insteon plunger switches for that.

If you regard the smart feature as an "extra" and always carry a physical key anyway, not having to fiddle with that key 99 times out of a hundred gets to be really handy, especially if you are in bed at the other end of the house or 15 miles down the road, late, heading for the airport on a 2 week vacation when you check the lock and find out it didn't get set...