In 2022, the Israel Internet Association (ISOC-IL) published an extensive policy research paper (”Internet of Things (IoT) in Israel: Benefits, Challenges and Policy Recommendations”) examining the advantages, obstacles and risks involved in adopting IoT technologies for the Israeli economy and society, and presenting policy recommendations for the policymakers and government authorities responsible for infrastructure, regulation and state-level support.
Just recently, the Privacy Protection Authority (PPA), Israel’s official regulator on legal matters of privacy and data protection, published its own special regulatory report (Hebrew) presenting its position on the privacy risks involved in the expanding world of IoT. The report reviews the fundamental privacy risks involved in the use of household IoT devices and smart homes, and summarizes the existing relevant legal framework in Israel, comparing and contrasting it to the current European privacy laws (GDPR, CCPA) that have gone farther in addressing the demands of the digital age. The report includes a detailed list of recommendations for IoT users and vendors alike, in the interest of increasing vendor transparency and user privacy.
The PPA report references ISOC-IL’s 2022 policy research on IoT, citing its comprehensive outline of the IoT phenomenon’s characteristics, advantages and risks and adopting ISOC-IL’s definition of IoT as “the use of electronic devices equipped with sensors that capture and accumulate information from their surroundings (e.g., data on traffic, temperature, voice and location), processing it in order to produce some effect in the physical environment.” As an example of IoT privacy violations that have occurred in recent years, the PPA report cites a 2015 case presented in the ISOC-IL paper, in which a stranger was caught communicating with a three year old boy after hacking the “smart baby monitor” in the child’s room.
As evidenced by ISOC-IL’s inclusion in the PPA’s regulatory framework, the Israel Internet Association has significant impact and professional acumen. Bringing expert research into policy-formation enriches our understanding of IoT’s privacy implications, allowing us to shape effective, informed policies. Collaborations of this type are essential in addressing the complexity of new technologies, ensuring that digital advancements are guided by expertise and commitment to the public interest.