IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - December 2021 - 102

Soft Law Governance of Artificial Intelligence
regulation to enhance the security and privacy of the
IoT appears imminent in the United States (as elaborated
below), so soft law measures such as private
standards, best practices, guidelines, educational
programs, and public-private partnerships will by
necessity play a significant role in promoting IoT
security and privacy [11]. This article proposes strategies
to make such soft law governance of the IoT
more effective and credible.
The Internet of Things
In this section, we define and briefly describe
the IoT and its potential benefits, as well as its
potential risks.
Introducing the IoT
There is no widely accepted definition of the IoT
[8], [12]. Different definitions may be proffered to
highlight the IoT's most important attributes, such
as the presence of smart objects or connections to
cloud services [12]. Additionally, some definitions
exclude traditional Internet-connected communication
equipment-such as computers, laptops,
and smartphones-while many others do not [13].
Despite the myriad of available definitions, one
common theme is that the IoT consists of devices
(things) that are connected to the Internet and that
have some type of sensor or data collection capability
[12]. The sensor on an IoT-connected device may
detect sounds, sights, vibrations, or events, translate
the data into a signal, and store or communicate that
data over the Internet [14].
Recently, the IoT has taken center stage, due
in large part to: 1) the development of AI systems
that can process the huge amounts of data generated
by IoT networks and 2) the impending availability
of the 5G mobile network. Regarding the
latter, the speed, massive capacity, and extremely
low latency of a 5G network creates the potential
for staggering technological growth [15]. 5G is particularly
crucial to the IoT, as the latter's success
is dependent upon how quickly connected devices
can communicate with each other. With 5G, there
will be a faster network with a higher capacity to
serve connectivity needs, while still maintaining
stable and reliable operating networks [16]. Moreover,
" 5G-enabled IoT is expected not only to enable
technological growth; it is also projected to help
support 22 million jobs around the world. This job
growth is expected to come from the digitization
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of transportation, agriculture, manufacturing and
other physical industries " [17]. 5G's ubiquitous coverage
will also support technologies beyond smartphones
and laptops, covering smart vehicles and
transport infrastructure, as well as remote control
of heavy machinery in hazardous environments, to
name a few examples [16].
To be sure, the vast array of IoT applications,
many of which have not yet been implemented
or even envisioned, promises enormous benefits,
efficiencies, and conveniences to consumers, businesses,
and governments. For example, " Connected
health devices will allow consumers with serious
health conditions to work with their physicians to
manage their diseases. Home automation systems
will enable consumers to turn off the burglar alarm,
play music, and warm up dinner right before they
get home from work. Connected cars will notify first
responders in the event of an accident " [8].
Most importantly, the IoT " may bring benefits that
we cannot predict " [8]. This is a critical point when
it comes to the governance of the IoT: it is still a technology
in its early stages of development, as companies
and innovators have just begun to explore and
experiment with its many potential applications and
beneficial uses. It is therefore essential that any regulations
of the IoT: 1) avoid suppressing innovation
and 2) are capable of quickly responding to change.
IoT concerns and risks
Because IoT systems are based on the collection
of large amounts of data-and, in many cases, personal
consumer data that is sometimes of the most
sensitive type-the IoT has created many data security
and privacy threats [18].
First, cybersecurity is a paramount concern when
discussing the risks that accompany the natural progression
of the IoT. Notably, there are multifaceted
and intersecting security threats to the IoT, some of
which are common to all technology and some of
which are only possible due to the unique configurations
of the IoT [12]. For example, while computers,
laptops, and smartphones are also subject
to security risks, many IoT devices lack the sophisticated
cybersecurity programs and regular security
updates that most computers and smartphones now
have [12]. These IoT devices are generally intended
to have short lives, with limited computational and
data storage capabilities and, to be low cost [19].
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - December 2021

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