You will be provided with a reference and some statements. Please determine whether each statement is 'supported', 'unsupported', or 'unknown' with respect to the reference. Please note:
First, assess whether the reference contains any valid content. If the reference contains no valid information, such as a 'page not found' message, then all statements should be considered 'unknown'.
If the reference is valid, for a given statement: if the facts or data it contains can be found entirely or partially within the reference, it is considered 'supported' (data accepts rounding); if all facts and data in the statement cannot be found in the reference, it is considered 'unsupported'.

You should return the result in a JSON list format, where each item in the list contains the statement's index and the judgment result, for example:
[
    {
        "idx": 1,
        "result": "supported"
    },
    {
        "idx": 2,
        "result": "unsupported"
    }
]

Below are the reference and statements:
<reference>
The Hidden Costs of “Smart” Living: How IoT Devices Threaten Privacy and

USC Dornsife

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The Hidden Costs of “Smart” Living: How IoT Devices Threaten Privacy and

By
Zayanna Serrano

November 29, 2025

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The rapid spread of Internet of Things (IoT) devices has changed how we live, promising

convenience, efficiency, and connection. Yet beneath this glossy surface lies a serious problem:

these same devices pose immense risks to personal privacy and security. These risks are

amplified by weak regulation and business models built on data exploitation.

In the US, unlike in Europe, consumers buying smart devices often cannot anticipate the

full extent of personal data harvesting they’re implicitly consenting to. Researchers have

documented that devices like smart home hubs, TVs, and streaming boxes routinely collect

sensitive metadata that is transmitted to numerous third parties, including advertising platforms

(Manandhar et al.). The danger is even greater for devices with screens or microphones. Smart

TVs and connected refrigerators can behave remarkably like mobile phones when it comes to

tracking and data transmission.

These privacy intrusions aren’t theoretical. They’re already embedded in many homes.

IoT devices have been observed inadvertently exposing personally identifiable information such

as MAC addresses and geolocations. Even more troubling, some devices enable covert

surveillance. Amazon’s Ring doorbells, for instance, have partnered with hundreds of police

departments, allowing authorities to request user video in “emergency” cases without user

consent. Meanwhile, smart appliances like thermostats are increasingly equipped with

microphones, turning everyday household items into potential surveillance tools.

One common counterargument is that market forces and existing laws are enough to

protect consumers, making stronger regulation unnecessary. But this logic collapses in the IoT

world. Consumers simply aren’t equipped to assess complex, evolving privacy risks—especially

when the real costs are hidden behind opaque terms of service. Moreover, many manufacturers

don’t rely solely on hardware sales; they profit from the monetization of user data, creating an

incentive to maintain weak privacy protections.

Some states have tried to fill the gap. California’s SB 327 law, for example, requires basic

“reasonable security features,” such as unique preprogrammed passwords. Yet it doesn’t restrict

unaffiliated third-party software, nor does it give consumers a private right of action if they’re

harmed. These measures, while well-intentioned, fall short of comprehensive protection.

Beyond privacy, IoT devices pose broader security risks that affect public safety and even

national security. The sheer scale of connectivity makes standardization and oversight extremely

difficult (Al-Hadhrami et al.). Every connected object—from smart locks to vehicles—becomes

a potential attack vector. In one striking case, the Department of Defense suspended purchases of

drones after discovering the manufacturer retained remote access to imagery and audio data.

If the last decade has taught us anything, it’s that convenience without accountability

comes at a steep price. As our homes and cities grow “smarter,” we must ensure our laws,

oversight mechanisms, and ethical standards evolve just as fast. Without them, the Internet of

Things may end up knowing far too much about us and protecting us far too little.

Still, the future doesn’t have to look bleak. Privacy-by-design principles, stronger

international data standards, and public awareness can help shift the balance back toward users.

Governments and tech companies alike have the opportunity to build a smarter ecosystem that

values innovation and individual rights. The real promise of the Internet of Things lies not in

how much data it can gather, but in how responsibly it can serve the people who power it.

Al-Hadhrami, Abdulaziz, et al. “Internet of Things (IoT) of Smart Homes: Privacy and Security.”

ResearchGate, 2023,

www.researchgate.net/publication/379693713_Internet_of_Things_IoT_of_Smart_Homes_Priva

cy_and_Security.

Harwell, Drew. “Doorbell-Camera Firm Ring Has Partnered with Police Forces, Extending

Surveillance Reach.” The Washington Post, 28 Aug. 2019,

www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/08/28/doorbell-camera-firm-ring-has-partnered-with

-police-forces-extending-surveillance-reach/.

Manandhar, Santosh, et al. “Characterizing Smart Home IoT Traffic in the Wild.” 31st USENIX

Security Symposium (USENIX Security 22), 2022,

www.usenix.org/system/files/sec22-manandhar.pdf.

NYU Tandon School of Engineering. “New Research Reveals Alarming Privacy and Security

Threats in Smart Homes.” NYU Tandon School of Engineering, 9 Sept. 2019,

engineering.nyu.edu/news/new-research-reveals-alarming-privacy-and-security-threats-smart-ho

mes.

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</reference>

<statements>
1. More critically, it eliminates the transmission of raw audio data over public networks, establishing a zero-trust hardware profile that addresses the privacy concerns of mainstream consumers
2. In the Smart Home Architectural Evolution table, the legacy connected paradigm (2018–2023) for Data Flow is continuous streaming of uncompressed audio and video
3. Data security and privacy violations remain the leading reasons consumers avoid adopting new smart home hardware
4. Data Sovereignty & Privacy: Consumer refusal to permit indoor video streaming or voice harvesting
</statements>

Begin the assessment now. Output only the JSON list, without any conversational text or explanations.