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Sunday, April 20, 2014

Is Your Home's Energy Meter Spying On You?

Utility companies across the U.S. are installing smart meters in customers’ homes, touting the technology’s energy-saving ways, but opponents argue that the meters are opening a Pandora’s box of privacy concerns.

The smart energy meters read electric or gas usage, and enable a power company to collect detailed usage data on a particular home or building. But the readings also gather personal information that some critics argue is too intrusive.

The information gathered from smart meters includes unencrypted data that can, among other details, reveal when a homeowner is away from their residence for long periods of time. The electric wattage readings can even decipher what type of activities a customer is engaged in, such as watching TV, using a computer or even how long someone spends cooking.


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14 comments:

Anonymous said...

I seriously bear watching & everyone who knows me realizes that.Maybe the smart meter will be a deterrent and force me to change my wicked ways.

Anonymous said...

Let the paranoia begin!

Anonymous said...

I just received a letter from Delmarva Power because we opted out of the smart meter that we will have to pay and extra $25 for 3 mnths and there after a $17 monthly fee for meter reading fee beginning August so why are we going to be charged these fees for them to read our meter, when in fact my neighbors have a smart meter and DP&L still comes out and reads their meter as well as mine and they WONT be charged this $75 and a $17 a month fee.

Anonymous said...

1:50 That is called extortion. When the Mafia does it, it's a crime. When Delmarva Power does it its called business.

Anonymous said...

Those who continue to mock this info are truly blind at best. If you read this article you would see the department of energy back in 2010 admitted to the concerns of many informed citizens.

Again; to you "mockers", you remind me of ignorant idiots, hard headed and can't see the trees for the forest. Just continue to blindly follow your lying president, the U.N. and all the other deceptive people that are pushing this for "our good".

Anonymous said...

Doesn't Choptank Electric have you discounted for reading your own meter?

Anonymous said...

The government is behind it that's why the electric company is always allowed to raise rates.

Daddio said...

Choptank charges a $5.00 fee to read a customer's meter if their reading has not been submitted by their billing due date.

This only applies to residential meters with standard rate service.

AS for Delmarva continuing to read the new "smart" meters, some areas have them installed, but not yet activated. They have to get all of `em up and running before they can quit visiting your house each month to gather the readings.

Anonymous said...

It's an electric meter for lords sake. It registers how much electric you use, not what appliance used it.

Anonymous said...

If we lived in a society that was not screwing over people at every turn I would look favorably on this technology. But we do not. I am disgusted that I have to constantly think about how people will use this tech to do things that interfere with my life.

Anonymous said...

7:07, get your head out of the sand and educate yourself.

Many say the electric companies won't do anything wrong or invasive and the government is not ordering them to do anything like this.

the operative words would be "NOT YET".

Anonymous said...

Wrong! Look at the usage data on your online bill from Delmarva Power. It will tell you exactly how much was for cooking, lighting, heating/cooling, etc.

Anonymous said...

Freedom o freedom.... can you hear the tune?

Anonymous said...

I leave the tv and lights on sometimes, just to eff with them. I also have my lights on timers.
They think I am home when I am not.