In the Internet of Things (IoT), new applications allow the coordinated and intelligent use of equipment to control various activities, from monitoring with cameras and sensors to managing spaces and production processes. The rules for this environment deal with both connection and intelligent data collection and processing.
The IoT ecosystem involves different agents and processes, such as smart modules (processors, memories), smart objects (appliances, cars, automation equipment in factories), connectivity services (providing access to the Internet or private networks that connect these devices) , enablers (control systems, data collection and processing and commands involving objects), integrators (systems that combine applications, processes and devices) and IoT service providers.
An example is the use of sensors in tractors that measure the situation of the soil and send data to systems responsible for processing this information and making suggestions for the best areas or times for planting. Another example is the adoption of devices at home, such as thermometers, energy consumption regulators or appliance managers, which allow the resident of the residence to control these devices from a distance.
Query
The consultation, which has the technical name of “subsidy taking”, aims to reassess the regulation of the sector, in addition to “reducing regulatory barriers to the expansion of IoT applications and machine-to-machine communications, such as rules of quality, licensing, service, among others”. Anatel expects to complete an analysis on the subject and prepare a proposal for new rules by the end of the year.
The regulation to be drawn up must address which services will be in the ecosystem, how they will be authorized by the Agency and what the rules of provision will be. According to Anatel, there is a lack of clarity on how to apply existing services and grants to Internet of Things activities and business models.
In the consultation document, Anatel already advances the objective of facilitating the development of IoT applications and eliminating regulatory restrictions that may make business models unfeasible.
rights
Another constant concern in the consultation is the reconciliation of Internet of Things infrastructures and services with consumer rights protections and quality obligations. It is also under debate how the certification of equipment will be carried out and how the use of the radio frequency spectrum will be managed (“space” in the sky through which different types of communication operate, such as radio, cell phone, bluetooth and wi-fi).
For the president of the National Association for Digital Inclusion (Anid) and member of the Internet Management Committee in Brazil Percival Henriques, in the world of the Internet of Things, a new look is needed for the rights of people, who are no longer just consumers and become be a “product”. “In this new model where people are products and data are the new oil of the economy, rights need to be treated at a higher level. We are discussing the right to personality and human rights in a broader way,” he told Agência Brasil.
Safety
Anatel also wants to hear from society about the security problems of these devices, which are simpler and therefore more vulnerable than computers and more robust equipment. This framework opens space for the risk of cyber attacks, control by intruders and information theft. One of the ways to avoid problems like this would be in the certification of devices, establishing safety requirements and specifications.
“There is no consensus on minimum security requirements, on what should be required or not. In discussing these requirements, we fell into a relationship between the cost of the equipment and the level of security you want to put into it. What is the minimum necessary to have a healthy development of the sector?”, ponders the superintendent of planning of Anatel, Nilo Pasquali.
quick query
According to the executive director of the Institute of Technology and Society of Rio (ITS Rio) Fabro Steibel, there is a concern among civil society organizations that the consultation process is taking place too quickly. He advocated a broader, multi-sector debate.
“The ideal for this consultation, instead of such short deadlines and written contributions, would be a much more open, specialized debate. What is at risk here is the disconnection of different cities and spaces, in addition to the impacts on fundamental guarantees of citizens, such as the right to privacy”, comments Steibel.
Source: Agência Brasil
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