It sees you when you're sleeping, it knows when you're awake

It sees you when you’re sleeping,
It knows when you’re awake,
It knows if you’ve been bad or good,
So be good for goodness sake!
I’m not referring to Santa Claus coming to town, but rather the smart grid, which Siliconvalley.com says might be just a little too smart. That’s in reference to a new report from the Ontario Information and Privacy Commissioner and the Future of Privacy Forum, which says smart-grid technology carries some privacy concerns.Ann Cavoukian, Ph.D., Information and Privacy Commissioner, Ontario, Canada, collaborated with the Future of Privacy Forum in preparing the report, in which she advocates the Privacy by Design concept she developed in the 1990s.

The report notes that “Smart Grid technologies are expected to produce valuable cost and energy efficiencies all along the electrical distribution system. One of the first and most important will be to meet peak energy demand more efficiently and with less detriment to the environment.”

To do that, the report goes on, “Modernization of the grid will increase the level of personal information detail available as well as the instances of collection, use, and disclosure of personal information. Instead of measuring energy use at the end of each billing period, smart meters will provide this information at much shorter interval…information may be gleaned from ongoing monitoring of electricity consumption such as the approximate number of occupants, when they are present, as well as when they are awake or asleep.”

The report continues, “Privacy concerns arise when there is a possibility of discovering personal information such as the personal habits, behaviors, and lifestyles of individuals inside dwellings, and to use this information for secondary purposes, other than for the provision of electricity.”

The report concludes, “As the Smart Grid is only in its early stages of development, now is the time to build SmartPrivacy into the Smart Grid. Consumer control of electricity consumption and consumer control of their personal information must go hand in hand. Doing so will ensure that consumer confidence and trust is gained, and that participation in the Smart Grid contributes to the vision of creating a more efficient and environmentally friendly electrical grid, as well as one that is protective of privacy.”

In related news, Google says it does not want to get into the electric utility business, but it does want to offer its PowerMeter software, which when used in conjunction with a smart meter like Energy Inc’s The Energy Detective, or TED, gives consumers Web-based information about their electricity usage. No word on the specific privacy implications of TED and PowerMeter.