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posted by CoolHand on Tuesday June 26 2018, @12:09PM   Printer-friendly
from the my-thermostat-is-holding-me-hostage dept.

The New York Times reports a disturbing increase in the use of "smart" devices in domestic abuse cases:

In more than 30 interviews with The New York Times, domestic abuse victims, their lawyers, shelter workers and emergency responders described how the technology was becoming an alarming new tool. Abusers - using apps on their smartphones, which are connected to the internet-enabled devices - would remotely control everyday objects in the home, sometimes to watch and listen, other times to scare or show power. Even after a partner had left the home, the devices often stayed and continued to be used to intimidate and confuse.

Connected home devices have increasingly cropped up in domestic abuse cases over the past year, according to those working with victims of domestic violence. Those at help lines said more people were calling in the last 12 months about losing control of Wi-Fi-enabled doors, speakers, thermostats, lights and cameras. Lawyers also said they were wrangling with how to add language to restraining orders to cover smart home technology.


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  • (Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Tuesday June 26 2018, @03:30PM (6 children)

    by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday June 26 2018, @03:30PM (#698800) Journal

    Yes, that's interesting - but I think it is wrong. Even in Backwoods, Arkansas, filled with rednecks and hillbillies, a woman can get a separation, divorce, and/or restraining orders for a spouse who is psychologically abusive. It's a bit harder to document that psyche stuff, but if done properly, it works. Besides which, abusive assholes usually look like abusive assholes when they show up in court. All that is required is some strategic questioning by the lawyer. Just bruise the bastard's ego a little bit, and he comes unglued, for the judge and everyone else to see.

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  • (Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 26 2018, @04:05PM (4 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 26 2018, @04:05PM (#698814)

    you might be surprised at how difficult it is for a woman to prove such abuses in the "good-ol'-boy" south. even multiple domestic situation calls and bruises are brushed off with "well, you made him angry, and he said he's sorry, and this time he really means it".

    • (Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Tuesday June 26 2018, @04:16PM (3 children)

      by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday June 26 2018, @04:16PM (#698827) Journal

      A: I live in the "good-ol'-boy" south. Wasn't born here, but I landed here.
      B: This isn't the 1960's.
      C: I personally know two women who won divorces due to psychological abuse, as well as two more who were physically abused.

      Wealth plays a factor in these things, but old-time good-ol'-boy politics have taken a huge hit. If you want to be a good-ol'-boy, you had best be contributing appreciable amounts to the local political scene. And, that's no real guarantee of anything, anymore. If people like Anthony Weiner can be exposed (pardon the pun) and shitcanned, you can bet that Bubba from Podunk can be done the same way.

      • (Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 26 2018, @05:30PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 26 2018, @05:30PM (#698861)

        a: i'm sorry for your loss
        b: agreed - but it certainly isn't socially liberal
        c: i know one in south carolina who couldn't get the courts to acknowledge physical abuse with EXACTLY the language of "he says he's sorry, so we're dismissing. again." until he pulled a gun one time. then the courts finally agreed with her. only took about a year - i guess that's not too bad... of course, they're dirt poor - medicaid, SNAP, WIC - but can somehow afford to feed their horse. viva le sud.

      • (Score: 3, Informative) by LoRdTAW on Tuesday June 26 2018, @06:01PM (1 child)

        by LoRdTAW (3755) on Tuesday June 26 2018, @06:01PM (#698878) Journal

        For every two that win there are plenty more who are unfortunately mentally unprepared to deal with stress and unknowns of divorce. Sometimes they are so mentally beaten they believe it truly is THEIR fault so they stay in the terrible relationship believing it to be the right thing. It's sad but happens all the time.

        • (Score: 1) by khallow on Wednesday June 27 2018, @12:42PM

          by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Wednesday June 27 2018, @12:42PM (#699266) Journal
          It's sad, but what are we to do about it? My take is that if someone refuses to change their life (including help from others) and the abuser doesn't do any obvious criminal acts, we can't do a thing about it. It's "Sucks to be them".
  • (Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 26 2018, @08:22PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 26 2018, @08:22PM (#698952)

    "divorce, and/or restraining orders"

    But can she get civil restitution by litigating after the fact? Part of the OP was the use of remote technology to pychologically harass. When you see gaslighting techniques used in advertising, and see auditory masking used across mass media for subliminal messaging, clearly psychological health is nationally commoditized.

    IOW, technology is being used to harass on a national scale, and is causing clinically measurable trauma nationwide. The frequency of youth suicides is a good measure of that. Of course admitting it has certain capital risks assosciated with admitting the truth. The judicial branch has historically just raised its hand and said "Bah! No standing!", in any related case.

    Modern media is "prima nochte" to the subconscious mind. The state has been backing that particular position for decades on now.