Feds Want Flexible Policy to Regulate the Internet of Things

Legislators see the need for regulating the Internet of Things, but are wary of discouraging innovation in the world of connected devices.

Sen Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), Sen Deb Fischer (R-NE), Sen Brian Schatz (D-HI), and Rep Suzan DelBene (D-WA) all stressed the need for policymakers to take a light but firm hand on how to address the benefits and complex data security and privacy issues associated with machine-to-machine communication as connected technology continues to expand worldwide. They cited a plethora of statistics noting that more than 37 billion intelligent devices will be online and connected by 2020, and 90 percent of the world’s data has been generated just in the last two years. As a result, the assembled elected leaders presented a united front encouraging education on IoT and the need for immediate policymaking on the topic before becomes too cumbersome to appropriately regulate.