Abusing the Internet of Things

Chapter 5. The Idiot Box—Attacking “Smart” Televisions

The glass slabs are everywhere, and they seem to want to obnoxiously and rudely isolate us from the rest of society. We stare at our smartphone screens, texting someone afar while neglecting the warmth of an in-person conversation with friends who are next to us. The dopamine hit from our phones buzzing in our pockets has become far too difficult to ignore. We must know what fresh notifications are waiting for us—it doesn’t matter if they’re a result of someone we hardly know on Facebook merely “liking” an insignificant photograph. Admittedly, first-world societies have noticed how the glass-slab display of the smartphone is making our interactions soulless and less human. It is negatively influencing our behavior and respect of one another’s presence, and we are taking notice. It is increasingly becoming frowned upon to play with our smartphones in meetings, on dates, and during important conversations. There are areas of interaction that seem permanently obsolete, however. Look around the next time you are in an elevator or a neighborhood bar and notice the number of people with their heads down, staring at the glaring glass slabs of their smartphones. The romanticism of striking up a meaningful conversation with a stranger seems diminished.

The smartphone is only a recent example of how the glass display can influence society and our interactions with one another. We will pick on these devices a little later, but the award ...