Smart trash cans popped up on my street, and the privacy implications are huge

Last week, the city installed smart trash cans with sensors on my street. They record when bins are put out and how full they are, sending that data to a private company. I'm worried this could be used to track our daily routines without clear consent. Has anyone else seen similar setups where they live?

4 comments

4 Comments

cora_kim391mo ago

Seriously, why does our TRASH need to be smart? This is just a sneaky way to collect data on us without real consent. That company can figure out when we're home, when we're away, all from bin usage. It's a HUGE privacy risk, and once that data is out there, it's gone. We should be pushing back HARD before this becomes normal.

aaron_adams1mo ago

Yeah I had the same worry when my building got them... I just unplugged the little tracker unit inside the bin. It still opens with the foot pedal, they just can't ping it. If you're not handy, a faraday bag blocks the signal. Just drop the whole unit in one and close it up. Works fine.

diana_kim6621d ago

Honestly the idea of a spy trash can is pretty funny when you say it out loud. Next they'll put trackers in our soap to see how often we wash our hands. I'm just waiting for the day my fridge rats me out for eating leftover pizza at 3am. It's all so dumb it would be a joke if it wasn't actually happening. What's the next thing they try to make "smart", our toothbrushes?

aaronwebb1mo ago

Man, you hit the nail on the head. It’s that slow creep of giving up bits of our lives without even realizing it. I had a similar gut feeling with a smart meter the utility company tried to install, like why does it need to report back every hour? Ended up saying no and keeping the old dial. It’s just getting harder to spot all the little ways they try to watch you, and trash bins should absolutely not be one of them. The whole thing is just creepy, full stop.