Abstract
Entertainment consoles, wearable monitors, and security systems. For
better or worse, internet-connected devices are revolutionizing the
consumer products industry. Referred to broadly as the Internet of Things
(IoT), this ‘smart’ technology is drastically increasing the means, scope,
and frequency by which individuals communicate their personal
information. This Note explores the disruptive impact of IoT consumer
devices on the U.S.’s patchwork system of privacy protections. After
presenting a high-level survey of several key regulatory issues, this Note
argues that the proliferation of IoT devices exposes a fundamental flaw in
the Katz “reasonable expectation of privacy” standard. As individual
expectations of privacy rapidly and inevitably deteriorate, societal norms
will follow suit, resulting in a Fourth Amendment standard, which is
incompatible and outdated in this new, interconnected reality.
Keywords
IoT, tech, privacy, authentication, Katz