Why I Make Smart Devices Dumber: A Privacy Advocate's Reflection
a day ago
- The anecdote about Diogenes and Plato illustrates the trade-off between autonomy and convenience: paying court to kings versus washing vegetables.
- Smart devices like robot vacuums promise convenience but come with hidden costs such as surveillance and data harvesting.
- The DIY movement, exemplified by Valetudo, aims to liberate devices from adware and data collection, turning them into single-task tools.
- Conscious engagement with technology—like modifying firmware—can restore privacy and agency, transforming smart devices into simpler, honest tools.
- The ultimate question is whether we should need to hack devices to achieve basic privacy, and whether we are willing to sacrifice convenience for control.