‘Internet of Things’: How Abuse is Getting Smarter

Abstract

From home thermostats you can control from your car, to home assistants ready to organise your diary at a spoken word, technology is playing a more central role in our daily lives. However, while networked home devices provide many advantages, they also offer abusers an abundance of opportunities to control, harass and stalk their victims. The Gender and Internet of Things project at University College London has been investigating how these devices are being misused, and what support survivors and services need to navigate these emerging risks.

Keywords: Technology-facilitated abuse, tech abuse, domestic violence, Internet of Things, IoT