A recent New York Times article delved into the phenomenon of the ‘smart house,’ or a house connected to its residents via various apps and technological devices.The post alleges that while it may be appealing to users to keep incredibly close and personally modified watch over your home, it creates a problem of inextricability that may cause immense stress to those attempting to take a break or vacation.
The post begins with the story of a couple attempting to summer in the Hamptons who received a notification that their front door had been opened. They then looked through their in-home security footage app to find the time of the intrusion, only to learn that their dog walker had come earlier than scheduled.
Hotels and resorts are now adapting to the stressful trend of over digitization by offering packages detailed by the Times like the Wyndham Hotel and Resorts that provide what the paper calls “device free zones at pools and restaurants,” or the Mexico-based Grand Velas Hotels, which offer a service wherein a worker will sweep the room of all electronic devices.
The Times goes on to profile Bailey Kindlon, who once used an in-home camera app to check in on her children and make sure they were safe and well with her husband. However, she admits that “I missed the sound of their laughter,” and “it was a way to observe the little things that I missed.”
Whatever the use, smart home apps are proliferating at a higher rate than ever. Whether they create a comfort or a nerve-rattling hazard to users is obviously dependent upon the user themselves, however its safe to say that if you’re given to anxiety, they may not be the best choice for you.
