Just realized my smart home was quietly profiling my roommate

I was setting up a new routine in the app last week and saw a list of 'household patterns' with labels like 'Guest 1: frequent late-night kitchen visits, prefers 68 degrees.' That guest is my roommate Sam. I'd been collecting this data for months without telling him, thinking it was just for efficiency. On one hand, it makes the heat and lights work better. On the other, it feels like a creepy invasion of his privacy without consent. Where's the line between a helpful home and a surveillance system?

3 comments

3 Comments

miamitchell15d ago

My Nest thermostat did the same thing with my boyfriend's shower schedule.

parker_thomas6d ago

My old Honeywell just keeps the house at 72, no schedule needed.

drew_park15d agoMost Upvoted

That Nest story from miamitchell makes me wonder who owns this data.