Governing the IoT

Soon enough, the Internet of Things will play a dominant role in the economies of countries and regions around the globe. Many players are already involved, but so far no single company, agency, or department can be held accountable if (and when) things go wrong. Simply put, today’s IoT is like Dodge City in the Old West before the U.S. Marshals arrived.

In this report, Mike Barlow examines what it will take to enact a set of realistic rules—including frameworks, policies, standards, and common procedures—for governing the IoT. You’ll look at five broad and challenging areas: cyber security, privacy, software licensing, data use and ownership, and government regulation.

There’s no shortage of models for an IoT governance framework, and the case for developing a set of common standards is strong. But implementation challenges, fixed mindsets, and stubborn attitudes are standing in the way.