The scary thing about IoT is that it's impossible to know what is being transmitted back to servers once a device is connected to an outside network (unless, of

The scary thing about IoT is that it's impossible to know what is being transmitted back to servers once a device is connected to an outside network (unless, of course, the network protocol doesn't allow external egress, such as Zigbee). If I connect my washing machine to the internet so that I can use a stupid, proprietary app, how do I know what telemetry it's also sending? Does it capture MAC addresses, SSIDs, bluetooth identifier, etc? That information could be used to identify who most frequently uses the device, personal schedules, friends/acquaintances that stop by, and a whole host of other inferences. When combined with other private corporate data sources, it may reveal things about me that I don't want them to know. I don't want them to know to target me for advertising. I don't want them to have an economic profile so that they can extract as much money out of me as possible via surveillance pricing. I don't want service people to decide to charge me more based on how desperate I am to get the thing fixed. I don't trust anyone that says, "I'll do that for you. No, I won't let you do it on your own... you have to go through me (my app)." Companies do not have my interest in mind... they are only trying to extract more money out of me. Give me Zigbee or nothing!