Cutting the Software Tether

Firewalls Don't Stop Dragons Podcast

Device manufacturers are breathing new life into old mundane products by connecting them to the internet, giving us the ability to monitor and control them from anywhere. However, this connection to the cloud works both ways. Not only do device makers now have unprecedented access to our usage and personal information, but they can hobble or limit our use of these devices at their whim. Today I’ll speak with IoT expert Stacey Higginbotham who is working with Consumer Reports and other consumer rights groups to bring more transparency to the smart device industry, and hopefully allow us to regain control over the devices we purchase.

Interview Notes

• Stacey Higginbotham: https://www.linkedin.com/in/staceyhigginbotham/
• Consumer Reports’ FTC filing on software tethering: https://advocacy.consumerreports.org/press_release/ftc-software-tethering/
• Who Ya Gonna Call? https://innovation.consumerreports.org/who-ya-gonna-call/
• Spotify Cancels Car Thing: https://innovation.consumerreports.org/how-to-kill-a-smart-device-spotify-car-thing-post-mortem/
• When Will Your Smart Appliance Turn Dumb? https://innovation.consumerreports.org/when-will-your-smart-appliance-turn-dumb/
• CR’s Permission Slip: https://www.permissionslipcr.com/
• CR’s Security Planner: https://securityplanner.consumerreports.org/
• My interview with Cory Doctorow on adversarial interoperability: https://podcast.firewallsdontstopdragons.com/2020/02/17/adversarial-interoperability-part-1/

Further Info

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Table of Contents

Use these timestamps to jump to a particular section of the show.

• 0:00:54: Chevron deference
• 0:01:48: US election impacts
• 0:03:15: Interview setup
• 0:03:55: What does it mean for devices to be ‘software tethered’?
• 0:09:23: How might software tethering affect resale of smart devices?
• 0:13:52: What are the impacts on security and privacy?
• 0:15:20: How did we agree to these limitations?
• 0:17:13: 1. Require disclosure of guaranteed minimum support time
• 0:23:55: 2. Eensure core functionality will work offline or after support ends
• 0:27:50: What devices might fail to work when offline?
• 0:30:19: 3. Encourage tools that enable reuse if support ends
• 0:34:24: 4. Protect adversarial interoperability
• 0:39:05: What happened to Amazon Dash buttons?
• 0:40:03: 5. Educate manufacturers on ways to build longevity into designs
• 0:46:28: Is it easier to get FTC rulings than new regulations?
• 0:51:29: Does the DMCA still apply to abandoned products?
• 0:53:13: Should we force companies to escrow software for release if they fail?
• 0:56:06: What should we be doing as consumers to further this cause?
• 0:57:39: What’s next for your FTC filing?
• 0:59:55: Interview wrap-up
• 1:01:28: Patron bonus preview
• 1:02:19: Looking ahead