Parks Associates: Privacy and Data Security Concerns Expand among IoT Consumers

DALLAS, TX--(Marketwired - Oct 24, 2016) - Parks Associates and Ayla Networks will host an upcoming webcast "Best Practices for IoT Security and Privacy," Tuesday, October 25, at 1 p.m. CT (11 a.m. PT), to discuss the growing need for privacy solutions in IoT and smart home products. The IoT research firm finds almost 50% of U.S. broadband households rank privacy as their greatest concern when connecting devices to the Internet.

"Near the end of 2015, 40% of U.S. broadband households reported having a recent privacy or security problem with a connected device, primarily a virus, spyware, or a company tracking them," said Brad Russell, Research Analyst, Parks Associates. "In 2016, nearly 60% of U.S. broadband households are bothered when their online viewing history is used for advertising, and nearly 40% of U.S. broadband households worry about the safety and usage of their personal data through an online video service. These experiences with products and online services lead consumers to calculate risks versus rewards, based on the sensitivity of data, when deciding on future purchases."

The IoT research firm notes that the smart home and IoT industries will need to work together to tackle privacy issues, and offer transparent explanations of the steps they take to ensure security of consumer data, in order to ensure continued growth. The webcast examines best practices in IoT data security and privacy and how companies are addressing these challenges to create and secure value for their customers. Participating speakers:

• Alicia Gray, Data Protection Officer & Director Global Connected Services, Salus
• Craig Payne, Security & Privacy Officer, Ayla Networks, Inc.
• Brad Russell, Research Analyst, Parks Associates

"Maintaining data security and data privacy in IoT solutions is as difficult as it is necessary," said Craig Payne, Security and Privacy Officer at Ayla Networks. "Delivering IoT security and privacy is not a one-time event. Rather, it's an ongoing effort that requires up-to-date understanding of the interplay among IoT technologies, constantly updated regulations, and the evolution of how IoT data is generated, shared, and used. The most effective approaches begin with a proven, comprehensive IoT platform that provides end-to-end, integrated security."

The complimentary webcast will address smart home device ownership, consumer concerns for connected devices, preferences for device guarantees against hacking, willingness to share data, and the impact of privacy rights for consumers. Key issues presented during the webcast:

• The economics of security investments for product development and ongoing cloud support
• Decision points for security and privacy issues during product development and platform strategy
• Speed of innovation and the challenges created when addressing security issues and testing products
• Impact of data sharing incentives
• Current approaches of and differences between the FTC and FCC regarding privacy issues
• Regional privacy issues around the globe and implications for data gathering, storage, and sharing

To register for this webcast, go to http://www.parksassociates.com/iot-security. To schedule a meeting with Brad Russell or request specific research data, contact Holly Sprague at hsprague@gmail.com or 720-987-6614.

About Parks Associates
Parks Associates is an internationally recognized market research and consulting company specializing in emerging consumer technology products and services. Founded in 1986, Parks Associates creates research capital for companies ranging from Fortune 500 to small start-ups through market reports, primary studies, consumer research, custom research, workshops, executive conferences, and annual service subscriptions.

The company's expertise includes digital media and platforms, entertainment and gaming, home networks, Internet and television services, digital health, mobile applications and services, support services, consumer apps, advanced advertising, consumer electronics, energy management, and home control systems and security.

Each year, Parks Associates hosts industry webcasts, the CONNECTIONS™ Conference Series, Connected Health Summit: Engaging Consumers, and Smart Energy Summit: Engaging the Consumer. http://www.parksassociates.com

About Ayla Networks
Ayla Networks empowers leading manufacturers by simplifying the inherent complexity of the Internet of Things (IoT), enabling them to turn their products into smart connected systems and transform their businesses to compete in the game-changing world of connectivity. Delivered as a cloud platform-as-a-service (PaaS), Ayla's IoT platform provides the flexibility and modularity to enable rapid changes to practically any type of device, cloud or app environment. Ayla Networks was named a 2015 Cool Vendor in the Internet of Things by Gartner, Inc. Ayla's investors include Cisco Investments, the International Finance Corporation, Mitsui, SAIF Partners, Crosslink Capital, Voyager Capital, Ants Capital, 3NOD, Linear Venture, SJF Ventures and Acorn Pacific. For more information, visit www.aylanetworks.com.