The FTC Is Worried About The Lack Of Commitment Of Producers To Smart Home Updates

Illustration of smart home (photo: dock. unsplash)

JAKARTA Unlike cell phones or computers, smart home manufacturers often find it difficult to provide long-term support for their products, even in terms of software updates.

This problem seems to be being noticed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). This US institution expressed concern after examining websites of 184 different products to see future support promises from various manufacturers.

Based on the findings of the FTC, nearly 89 percent of the observed products did not match the promises given by the company. Many manufacturers do not specify how long the smart home they develop will receive a software update.

Quoting from the 9to5mac report, the smart home that the FTC has observed includes hearing aids, security cameras, and smart keys for the door. With the lack of notification of the duration of the software update, the smart home manufacturer has committed a violation.

"The manufacturer's failure to notify potential buyers of the duration of software updates for products sold on a written guarantee could violate the Magnuson Moss Guarantee Act, requiring written guarantees on consumer products," the FTC wrote in its report.

According to the FTC, the duration of the software update is also important for users to know. If manufacturers stop getting software updates, the products used by consumers will lose their functions.

Before this happens, users can update their device. Therefore, knowledge of duration is very much needed. Even though the FTC has been observing this issue, the agency has not taken action against manufacturers who commit violations.