Internet of things

Is it a luxury to deal with the Internet and its concrete applications at a time of economic crisis, of local conflicts and international tensions, "ethical challenges" and violated rights? It probably is not. Firstly because Internet is part and parcel of the present epoch, and it is a tool – a means, thus, not an end! – that influences, for the good and for the bad, the daily lives of billions of people. While our glance is focused on unemployment or on the situation in Syria, Pakistan and Sudan, it may be useful to undertake a reflection on the web and its developments in the near future, in the certainty that it will affect the existence of an infinite number of individuals, and potentially, the whole of humanity. The European Commission thus decided to launch a "public consultation" (as it’s called in Community jargon) to identify the possible evolution of the "Internet of things" and make the most of its potential, while ensuring the protection of the health, safety and privacy of EU citizens. Some of the examples provided by the Executive in Brussels can clarify the potentials of personal devices that may convey the latest status of healthcare information of remotely cared patients to a central location; whereby people on the move may receive information on their smartphone about the status of their home’s doors, shutters or even the contents of the fridge, transmitted by sensors in their home; a car may route you around a potential traffic jam… It isn’t an imaginary future, from a hollywoodian movie: "Today, an average person has at least 2 objects connected to the Internet and this is expected to grow to 7 by 2015 with 25 billion wirelessly connected devices globally". Not only computers and phones, but even everyday objects such as household appliances "or even food" are wirelessly connected to the Internet.The "Internet of things" (IoT) is the foreseeable development of the digital agenda. For this reason, the Barroso Commission declared that by 2013, it wishes "to know what framework is needed to unleash the potential economic and societal benefits of the IoT, whilst ensuring an adequate level of control of the devices gathering, processing and storing information". The public consultation – which as customary, will take place online through the website of the EU institution – will collect advice, suggestions, projects and experiences of all stakeholders, namely, scientific researchers, university professors, policymakers, enterprises, as well as educators associations, families. It will continue until July 12 2012.Neelie Kroes, European Commission Vice-President for the Digital Agenda, said: “An Internet of Things with intelligence embedded into everyday objects is the next big thing. I want to promote an Internet of Things that serves our economic and societal goals, whilst preserving security, privacy and the respect of ethical values". It is not an irrelevant commitment, considering that "the network of networks" today already invades, often virtuously, every day life (at least in rich Countries and in those homes that cannot afford a computer, a mobile, a tablet or a wireless connection). Internet has transformed many aspects of everyday life, it changed the ways in which we produce and sell goods, in which we accumulate and invest capital, in which we learn and teach, enjoy ourselves and be updated. And most of all, it revolutionised communication modes and language. With blatant effects on our habits, on interpersonal relations – just consider the social networks – on the way in which we are informed about daily news (the competition of websites with the press and TV speaks for itself).Thus the EU consultation should be carefully managed at the initial stages of the collection of ideas and in the following stages directed at legislative proposals or projects.