Smart technology in spotlight on World Consumer Affairs Day

UNDER the theme, Trusted Smart Products, the Consumer Affairs Unit of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Division of Finance and the Economy hosted World Consumer Rights Day 2019.

Celebrated annually on March 15 internationally, World Consumers Rights Day aims to highlight what consumers want and need from a connected world and how important it is to put them at the heart of the development of these digital products and services.

Addressing those gathered at the Victor E Bruce Financial Complex on Friday, manager of the Consumer Affairs Unit, Langdon Phillips, said not many people pay attention to the day.

“Everyone who uses goods and services is a consumer. We all purchase goods and services for personal use and that makes you a consumer.

“At the helm of consumer movements internationally is a membership organisation, Consumers International, which comprises of over 200-member organisations in more than 100 countries worldwide. They champion the rights of consumers all around the world. The body, in celebrating World Consumer Rights Day annually, focuses on an area of global concern in consumerism. The 2019 theme is Trusted Smart Products. Smart devices play an integral role in our lives today, which is why we must be able to trust them.”

The Division’s administrator, Denise Toby-Quashie, said the theme is both important and timely as it recognises that the growth and adoption of smart technology continues to fundamentally change the nature of consumer products and services, and the way consumers themselves interact with them.

“Technology continues to revolutionalise the world by integrating the global society via the internet and it impacts the quality of life of billions of people all over the world.

“Globally, there are currently 23.1 billion smart products in the world, outnumbering people three to one. The international data corporation, a global intelligence and advisory provider puts worldwide spending on smart devices at US$772B in 2018 and predicts it to hit US$1 trillion in 2020,” she said.

Toby-Quashie said it was with that in mind that the conference was hosted with a view to sensitise people in Tobago on the role of smart products and the opportunities and risks associated with using them.

“Our aim is to enable persons to effectively use these products and services without compromising their rights as consumers. We recognise that while there are significant opportunities available to us from the adoption and use of smart technologies, there are also significant risks that we need to be mindful of as consumers. Over the past decade there has been a significant increase in high profile cyber attacks resulting in identity theft, disruption of commercial operations through a and attack on systems and networks from which these devices function and huge financial losses to consumers. These threats compromise our privacy, safety and security as hackers continue to steal and destroy sensitive personal and corporate data used to finance and support the illegal activity,” she said adding that people should be mindful that data on everyday activities, preferences, social engagements and family lives are collected, stored and often sold by the same developers offering these technologies for marketing and entertainment purposes.

Members of the audience were engaged in presentations on the internet of things by Tobago Information Technology Ltd ICT manager Ian Williams; Internet of Things at Work by Kesta Billy of the Security Zone; guiding principles for over the top services, smart devices and smart home by corporate communications manager of the Telecommunications Authority Sherry McMillan, as well as cyber security from manager of the cyber security incident response team at the Ministry of National Security Angus Smith.