Is your family’s TV, fridge, microwave, alarm system, or lights controllable by voice or phone? Is your heating and air conditioning system outfitted with a computer? If someone was asked these questions even 10 years ago, the questioner would most likely be met by open-mouthed stares and bewilderment. Yet today, technology can be integrated into everything from ovens to surround sound systems. A fridge can sense when you are low on milk and can order more from the store without you, the homeowner, even pushing a button.
For better or worse, smart home technology is most likely here to stay, and will only become more prevalent in our society as the years tick by. Smart home appliances are taking our country by storm. In fact, annual revenue of smart home appliances is expected to grow at 12.9 percent per year, according to Statista. And, while only 10 percent of homes are currently outfitted with smart appliances in 2018, that number is expected to grow to 28 percent of homes by 2023, just five years away.
The Consequences of Smart Appliances During Divorce
There are a number of downsides to smart appliances, with the obvious being a high cost of maintenance and repair/replacement, the usual malfunctions that technology always seems to have, and the hassle of getting everything linked together or to your phone. Some even worried that the CIA was spying on people with smart microwaves, though that proved to be untrue, as reported in Wired. In general, most people who purchase smart appliances know what they are getting into, and for them, the benefits of convenience and integration outweigh the negatives of smart appliances. However, few realize that a smart appliance can be used to sabotage them during a divorce or break up. An ex that moves out of the house can still access these smart appliances from afar, and turn them on or off, monitor the spouse with an in-home camera and audio surveillance system, and invade their privacy and peace of mind in a myriad of ways. A San Jose divorce attorney can help.
How an Attorney Can Help
If your ex-partner, ex-spouse, or soon-to-be-ex-spouse is causing trouble, an attorney can help you obtain a court order, which will stop them from continuing their actions, or risk being punished in criminal court. If you are going through a divorce or have just separated, it is also best practice to change your passwords in order to block them from accessing the appliances within the home. Even if divorce papers have not been signed and property has not been divided, you have the right to take measures to protect yourself from being harassed. If your ex-spouse or ex-partner is harassing you by turning on the air conditioning, turning on and off lights, watching you with cameras that are built into virtually everything now, or otherwise invading your life, you have legal options to pursue.
Contact a Santa Clara County Family Law Attorney Today
Do not face your family law issues without the help of a professional. Contact skilled San Jose divorce attorney Gemma V. Reyes today for help. Reach out to the office today by calling 408-292-6289 for a free 30-minute consultation.
Source:
https://www.wired.com/2017/03/kellyanne-conway-microwave-spying/
