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Residents of a building in New York forced their landlord to provide them with physical keys after installing an intelligent lock at the building's lobby door. CNET indicates that a physical key has been designated as a "required service" that the owner is required to provide as a result of the settlement.
Following the installation of the Latch brand smart lock last September, five tenants sued their landlord, arguing that the use of the smart lock and the application that l? accompanied raised serious confidentiality issues. Their lawyer said it could be used to "monitor, locate and intimidate tenants". Tenants said the smart lock app could locate their location and notify their landlord New York Post reports.
In addition to privacy concerns, tenants also argued that at least one resident of the building, 93-year-old Tony Mysak, was unable to use the smart lock. The smart lock controlled access to the building elevator and Mysak had trouble using the stairs. As a result, they argued that he had become a virtual stakeholder since the installation of the system.
The landlord's attorney disagreed with the tenants' claims and argued that the lock could be operated with a numeric code without having to install the application. Latch, which manufactures the smart lock, said its app was not collecting location data for marketing purposes and that it would revise its privacy policy.
The case culminated in a private settlement between the landlord and the tenants, and highlights the real growth difficulties in the smart home industry due to the lack of clear laws on the use of technology.
Tenants are not alone in facing the rise of smart home technology. Last June, The New York Times have reported that smart devices for the home have become increasingly common tools for domestic abusers because they are able to remotely control technology to harass and intimidate others.
The New York City Smart Lock case does not establish a strong legal precedent for how homeowners are allowed to use these devices. However, with Latch smart locks installed in 1,000 residential buildings in New York alone, it is unlikely to be the last time that the courts will need to examine smart home technology and its complex implications.
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