WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Steve Daines today pushed technology leaders to better address Americans’ rising concerns about personal privacy and safety when using Internet-connected devices.
During this morning’s Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation hearing on the government’s role in protecting Americans from the “Internet of Things,” Daines raised concerns about what measures have been put in place to ensure that as Americans become increasingly reliant on technology, proper safeguards against major security threats are also implemented. It is estimated that the number of Internet-connected devices will top 50 billion by 2020.
“I do have concerns as a consumer, as a parent about privacy and security, but I also have a great concern for technology and innovation to move quickly,” Daines stated. “I think information becomes currency. When I opt-in to one of my apps—perhaps it’s my airline—when it knows I arrive in a certain city, it performs at a higher level. That personal information becomes currency.”
In the hearing, Daines also raised concerns regarding the privacy of children, who are becoming a larger percentage of technology users every day.
“This is a case where our kids are faster and more quickly adopting this technology, often times, than parents are. This is a profound issue we have to deal with as a country and as parents right now. How do we protect our children in this evolution?” Daines stated.
Before serving in Congress, Daines worked in Montana’s technology sector for more than twelve years. He served as vice president of Montana-based RightNow Technologies, a global leader in customer service cloud computing and multi-billion dollar technology company that became Bozeman, Montana’s largest commercial employer.
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