Page 86 - Cyber Warnings August 2017

Could Your Roomba Soon Be Sucking Up Your 4th Amendment

Rights Also?

By: Andrew L. Rossow, Esq.
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If you own a high-end iRobot “Roomba” model, it may be doing more than just cleaning your
floors and carpets...it may be vacuuming up part of your 4th Amendment privacy rights. Entering

the world of smart technology and “IOT” (internet of things) makes you and your home
vulnerable to other users and devices out there in cyberspace.

The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution gives “the right of the people to be secure in
their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures,” which
cannot be violated unless there is probable cause to do so, and upon such probable cause, the

issued warrant must specifically describe the places to be searches and items/persons to be
seized.

But what happens when the desire to use smart technology means sacrificing our privacy rights,
and maybe even our 4th Amendment rights afforded by our Constitution?

A. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Last week, Colin Angle, the CEO of iRobot, announced that within two or so years, iRobot could

begin selling its map data to companies like Apple, Amazon, and Alphabet, Google’s parent
company which was the result of a corporate restructuring deal back in 2015.

iRobot’s “Roomba” is a line of disc-shaped “smart vacuums” that are able to detect and clean
dirt in a 360° direction by bumping into obstacles and its internal sensors “mapping” the
surrounding area. Angle’s announcement would only apply to the high-end models of Roomba,

beginning with the Roomba 980 model, which was the first WiFi-enabled model.

While Angle indicated that the company had not yet formed any plans to sell consumer data, his
announcement creates a pile of potential legal implications for not just iRobot, but for
consumers globally.

B. WITH SMART TECHNOLOGY, COMES A VIOLATION OF PRIVACY
Convenience trumps privacy. Every time. But, the question becomes how much privacy the

average consumer is willing to sacrifice for a more efficient life-style. Angle’s announcement

86 Cyber Warnings E-Magazine – August 2017 Edition
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