Connected tech: smart or sinister?

Culture, Media and Sport Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 12 May 2022 Closed: 5 Feb 2024 Parliament page
The DCMS Committee will examine the impacts of the increasing prevalence of smart and connected technology and what needs to be done to ensure it is safe and secure for its users. The Connected tech: smart or sinister? inquiry will explore how devices including smart speakers, virtual assistants such as … Read more
23 Recommendations
8 Conclusions
2 Reports
6 Oral sessions
1 Letter
6 Events
Activity timeline 17 events
11 Jan
2024
Report published
24 Nov
2023
Report published
30 Aug
2023
Report published
7 Aug
2023
Report published
9 Feb
2023
Correspondence
31 Jan
2023
Oral evidence
31 Jan
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Wilson Room, Portcullis House
17 Jan
2023
Oral evidence
17 Jan
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Wilson Room, Portcullis House
22 Nov
2022
Oral evidence
22 Nov
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
1 Nov
2022
Oral evidence
Oral evidence sessions 6 sessions
31 Jan 2023
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Erika Lewis · Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Julia Lopez MP · Department for Culture, Media and Sport Sam Cannicott · Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
17 Jan 2023
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David Kleidermacher · Google John Edwards · Information Commissioner's Office Leila Rouhi · Amazon Stephen Almond · Information Commissioner's Office
22 Nov 2022
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Dr Yiyun Kang Svana Gisla · ABBA Voyage
1 Nov 2022
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Dr Asieh Hosseini Tabaghdehi Dr Efpraxia Zamani Dr Matthew Cole
11 Oct 2022
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Matt Lewis · NCC Group Professor George Loukas Simon Moore · Palo Alto Networks
19 Jul 2022
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Antony Walker · techUK Dr Leonie Tanczer Dr Lulu Shi Silkie Carlo · Big Brother Watch
Recommendations & Conclusions
13 results
Clear
1 Conclusion Accepted
Tenth Report - Connected tech: sma…
Significant barriers prevent individuals from effectively exercising data rights with connected tech.
Data rights are an important tool for empowering data subjects and balancing data processing against users’ rights and freedoms. However, there are many barriers to individuals being able to exercise these rights when using or interacting with connected tech, ranging … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the conclusion, stating that existing data protection legislation, including the UK GDPR, already addresses these issues by requiring transparent data processing and empowering individuals to report non-compliance to the ICO. It welcomes the ICO's existing recommendations to technology providers.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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3 Recommendation Accepted
Tenth Report - Connected tech: sma…
Clarify Online Safety Bill obligations for connected devices and voice assistants surfacing harmful content.
The Government should clarify the obligations in the Online Safety Bill for voice assistants, connected devices (like smart speakers) and other emerging technologies that can surface harmful content, to ensure that those that integrate search services in particular fall in-scope … Read more
Government Response
The government partially accepts the recommendation, clarifying that the Online Safety Act's broad scope covers voice assistants and connected devices integrating internet search, subjecting them to duties to conduct risk assessments and mitigate illegal content and harm to children.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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5 Recommendation Accepted
Tenth Report - Connected tech: sma…
Commit to strengthening the Age-Appropriate Design Code and laying revised version promptly.
The Government should commit to ensuring that the Age-Appropriate Design Code is strengthened rather than undermined by data protection reform and to laying the revised code as soon as is practicable.
Government Response
The government agrees with the recommendation, committing to ensure that forthcoming data protection reforms will not undermine the Age-Appropriate Design Code. The ICO will update its guidance, including the code, as soon as practicable once the Data Protection and Digital Information (No.2) Bill receives Royal Assent.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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7 Recommendation Accepted
Tenth Report - Connected tech: sma…
Commission research on automated workplace monitoring and clarify HSE's role in AI regulation.
The monitoring of employees in smart workplaces should be done only in consultation with, and with the consent of, those being monitored. The Government should commission research to improve the evidence base regarding the deployment of automated and data collection … Read more
Government Response
The government partially accepts the recommendation, stating that workplace monitoring must comply with existing data protection law. It highlights safeguards in the Data Protection and Digital Information (No.2) Bill for automated decision-making and refers to its previously published AI Regulation White Paper and ongoing work with regulators like HSE, with a consultation response to be published later this year.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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8 Conclusion Accepted
Tenth Report - Connected tech: sma…
Develop ICO guidance on employment monitoring into a principles-based code for workplace tech.
The Information Commissioner’s Office should develop its existing draft guidance on “Employment practices: monitoring at work” into a principles-based code for designers and operators of workplace connected tech.
Government Response
The ICO plans to publish final guidance for employers on employee monitoring in October, which will replace parts of the 2011 Employers Code of Practice, following a public consultation that closed in January.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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12 Conclusion Accepted
Tenth Report - Connected tech: sma…
Work with OPSS to promote data protection and security guidelines for IoT devices.
As the guidelines set out in the 2018 Code of Practice for Consumer IoT Security imply, cybersecurity and data protection are mutually reinforcing. Without cybersecurity, data cannot be meaningfully protected, while data protection can manage the risk and impact of … Read more
Government Response
The government commits that the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) will work with the Office for Product Safety Standards (OPSS), bilaterally or via the Digital Regulation Co-operation Forum, to support industry and ensure effective enforcement of new regulations.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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13 Recommendation Accepted
Tenth Report - Connected tech: sma…
Require providers to adopt network, storage, and cloud security standards for connected tech.
Improving cybersecurity of consumer connected devices is an important and positive step, but the proliferation of connected tech in enterprise settings and the gap in the regime regarding network, storage and cloud security still present likely attack vectors that will … Read more
Government Response
The government claims existing security requirements already apply to relevant software, including off-device elements, and highlights current initiatives like NCSC principles and ongoing work to understand risks in enterprise devices.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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14 Recommendation Accepted
Tenth Report - Connected tech: sma…
Support free courses, educators, and improve industry hiring to address cyber skills shortage.
We are concerned about the ongoing skills shortage, as recognised in both the Government and industry’s regular reporting on cybersecurity skills in the labour market, and believe that the shortage will be exacerbated further as the product safety regime comes … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges an ongoing cyber skills shortage and states it already funds free cyber bootcamps across the UK through the DfE and National Cyber Strategy Programme. It also commits to continuing engagement with industry on improving hiring and retention.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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15 Recommendation Accepted
Tenth Report - Connected tech: sma…
Improve gender and ethnic diversity in cyber workforce through new schemes and support.
We are particularly concerned that, despite the shortage of cyber skills in the UK, there are stubborn and significant disparities in the cyber workforce based on gender and race and ethnicity. The Government should reflect on the significant disparities in … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees to address diversity in the cyber workforce, highlighting ongoing initiatives like funding the National Centre for Computing Education, DSIT's 'Upskill in Cyber' programme, and funding the UK Cyber Security Council to develop professional recognition processes.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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19 Recommendation Accepted
Tenth Report - Connected tech: sma…
Upskill law enforcement and improve crime data to enhance response to tech abuse
The Government’s response to tech abuse should involve upskilling law enforcement to improve the criminal justice response and increasing law enforcement’s and victims’ and survivors’ awareness of specialist services tackling violence against women and girls. The Government should also reflect … Read more
Government Response
The government partially agrees, committing to provide up to £8.3 million over two years for frontline support, including training on tech-facilitated abuse, and £150k for the Revenge Porn Helpline. It also commits to continuing to work with policing partners on developing skills and with police forces to ensure accurate use of the 'online flag' in crime data.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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1 Recommendation Accepted
Eleventh Report - Connected tech: …
Clarify how non-tech sector regulators will build AI expertise and ensure joined-up working.
We welcome the Government’s sensible proposals for regulating AI, including taking a sectoral approach underpinned by six cross-sector principles. However, there are outstanding weaknesses with this approach that the Government should clarify, including ensuring that sector regulators who do not … Read more
Government Response
The government recognises the need for central coordination for AI regulation and has already established a central risk function and is implementing a coordination function across government departments, with further details to be provided in their response to the white paper consultation.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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7 Recommendation Accepted
Eleventh Report - Connected tech: …
Provide substantive update by year-end on managing AI's impact on creative industries.
The Government’s initial handing of the text and data mining exemption to copyright for AI development, though eventually correct, shows a clear lack of understanding of the needs of the UK’s creative industries. All branches of Government need to better … Read more
Government Response
The government highlights its existing Creative Industries Sector Vision and significant investments, including over £300 million in growth support and £75 million for the CoSTAR programme, to drive innovation and technology in the creative industries. It also mentions ongoing assessments and being informed by a Council for Science and Technology report.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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10 Recommendation Accepted
Eleventh Report - Connected tech: …
Urgently clarify the scope and timescale for the Cultural Education Plan.
The Government’s Cultural Education Plan Expert Advisory Panel has only recently been appointed, almost a year after the appointment of its chair and well over six months after Government said it would appoint its members. We have serious misgivings about … Read more
Government Response
The government clarified the scope and five objectives of the Cultural Education Plan, outlining the types of organisations it will cover. It committed to publishing the Plan "in the coming months."
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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Government Response AI assessment · 31 of 23 classified
Accepted 13
Accepted in Part 1
Acknowledged 6
Deferred 4
Rejected 7
Total 23 recs + 8 conclusions
Correspondence 1 letter
9 Feb 2023 To committee Letter from John Edwards, Information Commissioner, relating to oral evidence on 17 January, 6 February 2023
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