Think Customers: The 1to1 Blog

Some utilities have started offering discounts to consumers who give the company control of their thermostat, letting the energy provider turn the temperature up or down depending on usage and peak demand. There are also plans for every home appliance to be connected to the system, sending usage information back and forth with the utility. Not surprisingly this has raised concerns among privacy advocates, who see a slippery slope between this practice and the future portrayed in "1984."

Most of the time I'm willing to trade a little privacy for convenience or lower prices. I sign up for store loyalty cards, subscribe to free newsletters, and personalize web page content. I'm not against consumers providing information in exchange for a freebie; the company I work for makes money partly by marketing off the list of 1to1 subscribers' information. I'm just not comfortable with the level of sharing these utilities are attempting.

I agree with the privacy experts who say it's only a matter of time before these companies will share the information they collect about consumers' habits with "partners" or "affiliates." Vast databases of information exist on most people already and this will just increase the potential for misuse. I'm not as concerned with the law enforcement aspect, but it certainly raises troubling issues regarding search and seizure if police have access to information emanating from your home through a third-party.

One reason I would never sign up for this service is the same reason I register for some free online trials and subscriptions using a seldom-used email address: I'm already surrounded by marketing messages. I don't need companies telling me I need their product because they know what time I turn my lights off every Tuesday night. But I'm just one person; would you sign up for this service if it was offered?