Page 7 - CooperatorNews NY April 2022

COOPERATORNEWS.COM COOPERATORNEWS — APRIL 2022 7 WWW.ANDYO.ORG Sponsored by: WETANKNY.COM ࣗ զ ڭ ֶ SELF TEACHING FELLOWSHIP AS SEEN IN “CACOPHONY” OVERPASS Take Control Whether a smart device is purchased di- rectly from the manufacturer or through an- other distributor, updating the device itself before using it is another vital step in protect- ing it from outside user interference. Always check a device’s settings for software or firm- ware updates that may include added protec- tion for the data it collects and stores. When setting up and enabling a smart de- vice, it’s also important to consider its capac- ity to track a user’s physical location. Just as certain smartphone apps can track where a user is throughout the day, many smart home devices can ‘see’ every movement throughout the home, and store that data for future use. While it’s up to each individual user to de- termine their comfort level with this degree of monitoring, it’s also important to keep in mind that disabling location services alto- gether on a specific device may impact its ability to work as designed. Internet-connected TVs are one of the most popular smart devices —according to a 2021 report by Leitchman Research Group, more than 80% of U.S. households with a TV have at least one ‘internet-connected TV de- vice,’ be it a smart TV, streaming box, or video gaming system—that’s up from just 30% a de- cade ago. The connectivity that makes smart TVs so popular also makes them vulnerable to hacking and data theft. Most smart TVs use what’s called Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) to monitor and record users’ viewing habits. That data is then shared with third parties, who use it to target advertising for products and other shows to the user based on their history. It can also be accessed by bad actors, who may use the stolen information for identity theft or other nefarious purposes. Most smart TV manufacturers include steps to disable ACR in the set-up/installation liter- ature for their products, and users concerned about theft—or who just prefer not to have their viewing habits scrutinized—may con- sider doing so. Another class of smart devices that raise privacy concerns for many are smart speak- ers, such as Amazon’s Echo and Google’s Nest. Users can easily review and delete stored voice prompts in their device’s set- tings, and may even prefer to disable the mi- crophone entirely when not in use. Proactive Privacy With more smart home devices hitting the market all the time, these simple steps can improve privacy protection—but it’s impor- tant to keep in mind that no device linked to a home’s internet connection is immune to hacking. Smart homeowners must under- stand the risks associated with these devices and do their part to minimize them by be- ing proactive when it comes to connectivity, password protection, and device settings. n Here is a summary of the data for New York, NY: • Share of homes with 4+ bedrooms: impacted home buyer preferences, data 7.9% • Share of homes with 5+ bedrooms: America’s appetite for larger homes has tion has gradually changed the composi- 2.3% • Median home price: $736,240 • Median household income: $69,407 For reference, here are the statistics for from around 1,700 square feet in the mid- the entire United States: • Share of homes with 4+ bedrooms: This increase in house size corresponds 42% of homes in Utah. In general, homes 21.6% • Share of homes with 5+ bedrooms: of rooms per house, which also increased 4.6% • Median home price: $316,368 • Median household income: $65,712 Not That New While pandemic life has undoubtedly time period. from the U.S. Census Bureau suggests that is better” in residential home construc- actually been growing for decades. The tion of the nation’s housing stock, but size average size of newly constructed, sin- gle-family homes has steadily increased than 17% of all existing homes in Florida, 1970s to around 2,500 square feet today. more bedrooms. This compares to over with an increase in the average number markedly during this period. Indeed, the percentage of newly constructed, single- family homes with at least four bedrooms climbed from 23% to 44% over the same The continuing trend towards “bigger varies widely by state. For example, less Arkansas, and Rhode Island have four or ONLY 7.9%... continued from page 6 SMART TECH... continued from page 6 continued on page 17