Spurred by continued technological advancement, the world today is more connected than ever. This presents a tremendous opportunity to build a more sustainable and prosperous future for all, but it also introduces new risks and governance challenges in areas such as security, privacy and the fair distribution of benefits.
The global COVID-19 pandemic has made this abundantly clear. Applications of the internet of things (IoT) such as connected thermal cameras, contact tracing devices and health-monitoring wearables are providing critical data needed to help fight the disease. Temperature sensors and parcel tracking are also helping to ensure that sensitive COVID-19 vaccines are distributed safely. Yet the use of IoT in fighting the pandemic has also shed light on concerns about its security, privacy, interoperability and equity.