An absolute nightmare for security and privacy. Just say no.

If any of it uses cloud services or requires internet access to function, then it's harmful. It will be gathering lots of personal data that will be sold. It will stop working if the company goes out of business or just decides to stop supporting your hardware or if they ban your account for whatever reason they want.

If it's all self hosted on your LAN, then it can be convenient, provided that whatever it controls can be manually operated if there is a problem. It's even better if you are using all open source hardware and software.

I'm not a fan. Any exploitable issue with the software, and my house can be viewed by anyone from anywhere.

I've got zero smart devices at home, to the point of even using my TV as a simple screen only.

What's your network infrastructure like? I have my network segregated across several VLANs, and IoT devices are on VLANs that are blocked from the internet (and the rest of the network) at the firewall level. I can access them, but they can't access anything.

It's a great and rewarding hobby! But having cloud connected devices on the same network as your sensitive information is an issue.

Use a vLAN and IoT devices capable of local control. Use a self hosted hub like Home Assistant. Keep devices that collect sensitive information (like a camera) out of sensitive areas (like the bedroom). Then you should be reasonably secure.

The only smart objects I have are some light bulbs. I think, some processes are good to automate and put software in control of, and some things I want to have explicit control over (I.E. Door locks, Safe locks, AC settings, Heating). Technology can break in fantastical ways, but a lock should just freaking work.

As someone who has spent many years working on my smart home, I suggest, as do others, KEEP IT LOCAL.

I love the idea of having motorized blinds and windows that automatically open/close coordinated with thermometers to regulate house temperature.

Using home assistant since 2017. As you add stuff there's more synergy, like a network effect. I have automations and services that:

• Adjust the bathroom floor thermostat according to the prevailing hourly energy price

• Adjust the colour temperature of lighting during the day so blue light is reduced in the evening, allowing natural melatonin production to function

• Announce on a local speaker when our child gets to school in the morning using their phone location

• Operates festive lighting in the winter with reference to sunset and sunrise

• Turns off all lights when leaving; or sometimes if I'm feeling more paranoid

• Replays lighting patterns from a previous week to simulate* occupation

• Sends me an alert if motion is detected and nobody's home

• Turns off the picture on the TV if nobody's in front of it for a while using a 60GHz radar sensor

as well as a few other things. I don't want a smart home that's just remote operation with a phone. I want to use capabilities to automate things so I don't need to be concerned about them.