MFA for Smart Home devices is a really good idea given the security problems they present. You’re not locking each thermostat adjustment, you’re locking the ability to log in on a device to adjust the thermostat.
A Nest doesn't have to be connected to a network, at all. They're wired to your climate system the same way as a dumb thermostat. If you don't need remote control of your temperature--and I'm gonna be real here, does anyone need remote control of the climate system?--disconnect it from the network.
It's a dial that turns your temperature up and down. I haven't adjusted mine since, like, August.
I do agree, but, when you have 2 people at home sucking on your paycheck and messing with the thermostat you pay for when you're not at home it's nice to have.
Edit: I don't have a smart thermostat and never plan to buy one. I kinda like owning the things I buy
I wasn’t aware you could use a Nest without an account. If that’s possible, absolutely no need for MFA. If you use a throwaway account and don’t connect the device to a network, then there’s no reason to pay the premium for the device.
Whether or not the device is connected to a network has little bearing on securing the account. Usually you’re getting a smart thermostat to control it remotely or for a savings program with your power company which requires at least the account be connected. You don’t want that to be exposed ergo you want MFA.
Mine was inherited from the previous owners. At my insistence they factory reset any devices they left around the house. When I moved in, I turned on the nest and discovered that it worked fine with no configuration whatsoever. It's just controlling the current on two wires, with a fancy display. I've never had a reason to change it from that.
I don't get the obsession with 'smart' devices given all they seem to do is overcomplicate simple designs that have worked just fine for decades - in addition to opening them up to abuse or corporate surveillance. The smartest device I own is my Pixel 8, and I barely even use it unless I need to make a call or message someone. I won't even buy a post-2014 car purely because they just contain too much tech I'll never use and don't want (not to mention the privacy concerns with cellular data transmission and telemetry.)
For starters, a smart toilet is the dumbest thing I've heard of in a while. But home automation is pretty neat if you're into to that sort of thing. Theres a lot of open source programs out there to keep yourself independent of corporate spying. If you know what you're doing, you can set things up securely and in a way that protects your privacy. For things like lighting, HVAC and speakers there isn't much in the way of overcomplicating the hardware either. I'm with you on cars though. Fuck that noise
Every company which makes objects is filled with middle management idiots who spend 100% of their time either harassing their staff, or producing reports about how the people who actually make the stuff are still doing their jobs properly yes. They spend quite a lot of time just sitting in their offices. They're dying for something to come along that means they can have a meaningful contribution to the process. Any time you hear about some boneheaded decision that makes the product worse in every way, you can be pretty well assured that it's one of these guys deciding that they're finally going to make their mark and be remembered with this new genius idea they've come up with.
I had a guy tell me I needed to relax, I was getting all worked up over these minor issues and it would be better if I just went with the flow and found a way to just show up and do some work and not be bothered by wanting everything to be perfect.
I told him that my solution that involved just being able to relax and not be bothered was to quit and find a new job where I wouldn't have to fight these battles for things to be set up semi sensibly. He became alarmed and told me that hadn't been what he meant. Eventually I did do exactly that, and the new job I found was quite a bit better in practically every respect.
I love my smart house, but I also self host Home Assistant and nothing that I rely on uses a cloud provider.
It's really nice having motion activated and time based colored lights, and I don't have to worry about the privacy or connectivity concerns from the majority of Internet of Shit products.
I could see businesses doing this, only giving you access if you pay for it or through getting a code on a receipt of purchase or something. In other parts of the world this already sort of common, you pay a fee to use a “public” restroom. It’s actually kind of odd that America hasn’t already started charging for restrooms.
It's difficult to find specific laws or regulations, but the gist of what I'm finding is that most places of public accommodation in the US must provide a restroom free of charge though they may limit access to paying customers.
There appear to be numerous exceptions that allow not providing a restroom at all, but I couldn't find anything that says they can charge for it.
The one thing that does come to mind is certain venues that have bathroom attendants. In those places, you're de facto paying every time you go because that attendant will shove a towel in your face with one hand and extend the other hand palm up faster than the speed of light.
In 1969, California State Assemblywoman March Fong Eu took to the steps of the California State Capitol building and smashed a porcelain toilet with a sledgehammer to protest the inequality promoted by the locked stalls.
