Perhaps the best part of this anecdote was Swenson’s incredulous conclusion that the situation “could have been worse.” But he’s right that it was nice of the hacker to let him know his vacuum was hacked instead of spying on him indefinitely.
The most common issue people have with so-called “smart” home devices is that they often require a software subscription to access core functionality, and if the manufacturer goes under or stops supporting the device, it simply becomes a paperweight.
The more premium models just sense a black person and follows them around saying “are you sure you’re in the right house? I’m going to need some proof that you live here. I know everyone in this neighborhood and I’ve never seen you around before”