University Report: Societal Impact of the Internet of Things

This report examines the societal impact of the Internet of Things (IoT), addressing its benefits across sectors like healthcare, business, and smart cities, while also highlighting the associated risks, such as data privacy concerns and the need for specialized expertise. The report emphasizes the importance of IoT governance, advocating for measures like data minimization, privacy by design, accountability, and the establishment of standards. It discusses how proper regulation can maximize the benefits of IoT for society by ensuring responsible data handling, promoting innovation, and mitigating potential harms. The report also provides insights into global, regional, national, and local practices to ensure no problems arise, and emphasizes the need for a comprehensive approach to IoT governance that balances innovation with societal well-being.

Internet of Things
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Part I: Important Issues in the Paper
The report on the societal impact of the internet of things has tried to address various
issues on the impacts of the internet of things as well as the risks and challenges which are
involved in the use o the internet of things in most companies, countries and society at large.
The paper argues that there has been an overlook on the impact of the internet and
thereby neglecting the real impact the IoT plays. Much of the focus modern society is still done
on the traditional impact on the IoT however the paper is trying to bring in new understanding of
the societal impact of the IoT. The paper highlights some major benefits of IoT. First, in the
health sector, IoT could be used to monitor the movement and the reaction of the patient. In the
business sector, the IoT could also be used in increasing productivity and increase efficiency.
This is through processes such as business information, business automation as well as business
transformation. The IoT could also be used in the sensor devices to depict the total number of
people in a given place. The IoT could also be used in building smart cities in the world. This is
through the ability of IoT to enable the countries to use energy-saving and to curb the emissions
which could bring environmental harm in their cities.
Despite the much benefits associated with IoT, there is however a major setback in the
use of IoT. One major characteristic of the IoT is that it uses data collected from people in order
to implement its activities. Much of the data is collected from the consumers in order to
understand their consumption behaviours. A large percent of the consumers do not realise that
their data is being collected from them and therefore the IoT may take this advantage. Another
major risk which is involved with the IoT is that it may require special expertise to run them. The
design of the IoT infrastructures requires much attention and most of the countries lack these

experts or they are expensive. The implementation of the smart city systems uses methods and
plan which may be much more expensive.
Another major issue discussed in the paper is the governance of the IoT. Considering the
fact that IoT is moving faster, there is a need for the regulation and governance of how data is
being used. To that fact it is important to ensure that the IoT is under governance. The paper also
provides some major solutions to data privacy issue. It puts forward data minimization as well as
data design as the main methods which could be used.
Part 2: Summary of how IoT can be governed by proper regulation to benefit the society
IoT lacks proper governance or a body that could control the way it is used in society. With
proper governance, it would be much more beneficial to society.
The paper puts forward some of the best ways which could be used in ensuring that the IoT is
governed well to ensure IoT. First is by data minimization. Thus involve the use of small amount
of data to produce the required results rather than using large amounts of data which could bring
errors or which could be misused. Also, the use of privacy by design whereby the data being
used is used according to the required time, requir5ed integration would result ineffectiveness in
the use of IoT in the industry. Furthermore, ensuring accountability and liability in the results of
using IoT or the data from the consumers will be effective in ensuring that the individuals will be
keen the use and implementation of the IoT and the related data. In case of any failure in the use
of the IoT, the companies or countries should ensure they are accountable or liable for their
mistakes and they should not take it on others. Also, it will be important to use governing
devices which will be used in causing actions in case of any alert by the sensor devices. Also,
coming up with the body on which will know on setting the standards on the use of the data will
be much more important in ensuring that the set standards of the use of IoT are much more

effective and helpful and that they do not mistreat the customers in any way. Finally, the
alignment of the global, regional, national and local practices will also be important in ensuring
no problems arise