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
6 results
Clear
2 Recommendation Acknowledged
Tenth Report - Connected tech: sma…
Introduce measures to standardise intuitive privacy interfaces for connected devices, empowering users.
The Government should introduce appropriate measures to standardise privacy interfaces for connected devices as a first step, which will help users learn how to control connected devices in their homes and exercise data rights. Privacy interfaces should be appropriately accessible, … Read more
Government Response
The government partially accepts the recommendation, referencing existing GDPR requirements for privacy information. While not committing to standardising interfaces for connected devices, it will engage with interest groups in the coming months to explore options for simpler and more granular cookie preference choices using automated technologies.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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6 Recommendation Acknowledged
Tenth Report - Connected tech: sma…
Review incentives for piloting data institutions in smart cities to boost citizen control.
Though smart cities provide a range of opportunities, such as more efficient management of resources, there are also additional risks to confidence in privacy and data protection, making it harder for individuals to exercise data rights. The Government should review … Read more
Government Response
The government partially accepts the recommendation, stating it is examining how data intermediaries can facilitate data sharing and empower individuals. It highlights existing data-driven practices and discusses ongoing work to manage security risks associated with connected places technologies, providing guidance to local authorities.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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18 Recommendation Acknowledged
Tenth Report - Connected tech: sma…
Make tackling technology-facilitated abuse a priority across law enforcement and justice system
The Government must make tackling technology-facilitated abuse, or “tech abuse”, a priority. There is little evidence to suggest that our law enforcement and criminal justice system has been equipped to deal with the problems caused by tech abuse now, let … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees, stating that tackling technology-facilitated abuse is already recognised as a priority within existing strategies like the 2021 Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, and commits to continuing to ensure it remains a priority.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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2 Recommendation Acknowledged
Eleventh Report - Connected tech: …
Set out a plan to upskill and resource non-digital sector regulators for the AI regime.
The Government should set out a plan to provide upskilling and resourcing for non- digital sector regulators to ensure they can meet the needs of the new cross-sector regulatory regime for AI.
Government Response
The government recognises the need for central coordination and states it is establishing a central risk function and implementing a coordination function. It will provide further details in a forthcoming response to the white paper consultation.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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8 Conclusion Acknowledged
Eleventh Report - Connected tech: …
Ensure support for creative industries encourages artists' innovation in emerging technologies and cultural institutions' investment.
While institutions are understandably investing in products such as the metaverse and generative AI, this should not be to the exclusion of novel and emerging technologies, which are enabling artists to innovate and attract audiences. In order to encourage a … Read more
Government Response
The government outlines the five objectives and scope of its forthcoming Cultural Education Plan, which aims to support high-quality cultural education for children and young people and strengthen talent pipelines, and will be published in the coming months.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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9 Conclusion Acknowledged
Eleventh Report - Connected tech: …
Ensure Cultural Education Plan explicitly addresses digital skills shortages in creative technology sectors.
As we have repeatedly raised, the tech sector and creative industries are experiencing long-standing skills and personnel shortages that have capped the potential for growth. The Government’s forthcoming Cultural Education Plan should explicitly discuss how educators can combine digital skills … Read more
Government Response
The government outlines the objectives of its Cultural Education Plan, including strengthening talent pipelines into cultural and creative sectors, and states the plan will be published in the coming months. However, it does not explicitly commit to detailing how educators will combine digital and creative skills provision as requested.
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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